


Torn Pages

by Something_clever



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Marvel Universe, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Universal Headaches, alternate endings, different POV, marvel movies canon, oneshots, random bits and bobs that weren't in the story, universal series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2018-03-30 10:48:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 93,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3933916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Something_clever/pseuds/Something_clever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. From my "Universal" series. Bits and pieces, alternate endings, one shots, different POVs from both stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Oneshot - Universal Headaches: Clint POV

**Author's Note:**

> Hello dear readers! Torn Pages is a catch-all for bits and pieces that either don't fit the pov with my Universal series, or didn't make the cut with the story. I have a few other chapters posted on another site, but I've already started the sequel there, so I'll post more at a later date!
> 
> Basically this is just little stuff I write when I'm bored or distracted from my main storyline.

Clint shot another glance at a practically drooling Sutton and frowned further. She was obviously afraid of falling asleep, for whatever reason, and he was fairly certain it had something to do with Loki. Whatever she was keeping from all of them had her shaken and jittery, even if she didn't think she was acting that way, and he was determined to figure out what it was. There was no way he was going to let Loki get the upper hand again. Especially not when he knew what being under the villains control felt like. (If not to a much higher and more violating degree then she probably was.)

And the fact that she had reacted so strongly to his questioning told him a lot about how serious the situation probably was. Not that it took a lot to fluster Sutton, that she was quickly prone to panicking was clear from their time here, but she hadn't openly broken down in such a way before.

They would have to get her away from Loki in order to get any answers from her.

The door to the hotel room creaked open and Clint diverted his attention to watch the team file back into the room. From the corner of his eye he saw Sutton blink lethargically.

_"Breaking curfew, you guys."_

She continued to display her level of exhaustion even as she denied it, and Clint locked eyes with Natasha across the room. She lifted one brow and he let his face go flat. Springing up to his feet Clint exited the hotel room and Natasha followed closely behind. As she closed the door he could hear a pathetic,  _"noooo,"_  follow them out.

"She's hiding something. Loki's been threatening her and her family, and whatever he's planning frightens her. She's too afraid of him to talk."

Natasha frowned.

"The only way she would be useful to him is for information about our universe. Even then, he could easily access other, more thorough, sources."

Clint shrugged.

"Whatever it is, she's involved and she wouldn't say anything to me even while across the street from the hotel."

"Sutton values loyalty and justice," Natasha pointed out. "If we want to gain her cooperation we have to make her feel more included in this. If she sees us as superheroes, then she'll already be putting a lot of trust and faith in us. We just have to make her feel like she's part of all this and that we can protect her."

Clint nodded in agreement and rested his hands on his hips.

"It's clear she already feels partially responsible for us. If we make her feel part of the team, she'd feel held even more responsible to help protect us and our world. So, how do we go about making her feel like she  _is_  one of us?"

Natasha cracked a small smile.

"With Sutton? It's easy; you just tell her that she is."

 

The next morning Clint could hear Natasha from the other room plant the idea in the girl's head right out of the gates.

_"As part of this team, you have to pull your own weight."_

_"Wait. You all consider me part of the team? But, I'm not a-a superhero."_

_"Well, you're doing pretty well so far."_

_"Consider him woken up!"_

He sat back in his chair in the other room and crossed his arms over his chest. The enthusiastic lilt in Sutton's voice told him that the interaction had served its purpose. Now all they had to do was keep the poor kid away from Loki. He and Natasha had already told the rest of the team to help make sure there was a buffer between the girl and the alien at all times from now on. It would be best for both parties. Besides, Sutton might be a bit out of her mind at times, but she'd still done a lot to try and help a group of people she'd grown up thinking were fictional. He wasn't so cold as to not appreciate the sort of sacrifices she'd had to make these last few weeks.

He could only hope that it was the motivation she needed to come clean and let them in on Loki's plan. Before it was too late.


	2. Oneshot-Universal Headaches: Sutton Won't Wake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers become distressed when Sutton won't wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This oneshot is for GraceSong (from ffn), who was interested in what was going on with the team while Sutton was dream fighting with Loki, and what made them alarmed that she wouldn't wake up. (From Chapter 16 of Universal Headaches.)
> 
> I hope this oneshot answers that question satisfactorily!

Everyone had gotten a few hours rest after returning from the lab in San Francisco. The only person still sleeping was Sutton and the team decided to let her continue slumbering. Her confession of Loki's plan along with her involvement in it had taken a lot out of her, and she could probably use the shut eye. She was currently curled up and buried deep under the blankets like some type of burrowing mammal. Her hair was fanned out wildly around her over her pillow.

Tony and Bruce were still working on portal calculations using Sutton's laptop. They didn't have much time for sleeping when they had another dimension to get back to. Thor was in the next room over with Loki, who _appeared_ to be sleeping, and the rest of the team milled about. Steve might have been keeping Thor company.

Tony was still buried neck deep in equations as the minutes wore on, so much so that he almost didn't hear when Natasha said,

"We should be leaving soon."

Clint snorted from a chair by the door.

"Good luck waking that one up." Then, a bit more seriously he added, "let her get a bit more kip. She looked like she needed it."

Tony huffed from behind the laptop.

"Bit of an understatement. Kids gonna need Dr. Phil when this is all over. Real life superheroes, weird power stuff, and Loki breathing down her neck? Luckily for her I can afford a decent therapist. Man," he distractedly muttered as he hit the backspace repeatedly, "I really miss my holo-screens."

Bruce shot Tony a frustrated look that could _almost_ be called a glare.

"Tony, you can't just _keep_ her. She's not going to agree to go just because we're in a popular movie she likes."

"She might not have a choice," Tony snapped back. "You've seen what the news has been saying about her. _That's why we don't turn on the TV when she's up?_ She probably wouldn't be _able_ to sleep if we let FOX News play all morning."

Others were about to interject when Sutton shifted beneath the blankets and cried out as if in surprise. It was loud enough to garner everyone's attention. Focus shifted over to the sleeping girl as she twisted a few more times under the sheets and panted as if in distress.

Clint's eyes flashed as he locked his gaze on Sutton's figure.

"More nightmares," Natasha suggested.

"Not so sure about that," Clint disagreed. "She mentioned he could get in her head."

But no one moved to wake her; whether or not that was the best choice for the moment had yet to be seen. Her entire bodily suddenly seized and she lay stiffly on her back, spine arching slightly, evident even beneath the bundled sheets. The four Avengers jumped up and moved towards the bed.

A few tiny beads of sweat had formed on her brow and Natasha gently felt along the bottom of Sutton's jaw.

"If she clenches her jaw any tighter she's going to start chipping teeth."

Bruce put two fingers on the artery in Sutton's neck and counted the seconds.

"Her pulse is escalating too rapidly. We need to wake her up."

Thor and Steve suddenly rushed into the room and froze at seeing the group crowding Sutton.

"What's going on?"

"Is Lady Sutton ill?"

Natasha was patting at Sutton's face.

"Sutton? Hey, Sutton, wake up. Come on."

But she didn't stir. The most they got was a low groan through grit teeth.

"Are you trying to wake her up or not," Tony complained, worry evident in his voice.

Sutton gave another shout and arched her back again. And then, alarmingly, she went totally limp.

_"Hey, hey, hey!"_

"Her heartbeat is slowing down too much!"

Steve pushed his way up to the front of the group to get a better look at the situation.

"She's gotten awfully pale," he assessed hurriedly. "Why isn't she waking up?"

"If we knew that, Capsicle, we wouldn't be in this situation, would we?"

Steve completely ignored Tony's hostility for the issue at hand. Before going limp, Sutton had managed to twist the sheets down so they settled around her shoulders. The rise and fall of her chest was hardly noticeable.

Tony's temper finally boiled over and he squeezed himself between Bruce and Natasha.

"Oh, come on!"

He grabbed Sutton by the shoulders and gave her a firm shake.

"Get up, kid!"

Clint looked to Thor and nodded at the door to the adjoining room.

"Thor, you need to get Loki and-"

There was a quiet gasp from Sutton that cut Clint off, but she still slept. Tony jostled her again, even more forcefully this time.

"Wake up, Small Fry! You gotta wake up!"

This time Sutton's eyes fluttered and the tension in the room eased slightly. The color seemed to seep back into her face and Sutton managed to open her eyes fully, staring around her blearily. Her eyes were a bit glassy for another few moments and face confused. Tony sat back on the bed and breathed a sigh of relief. Bruce took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Natasha stepped back away from the bed and shared a look with Clint; Clint's own face was stony. Sutton sat up in the bed and blinked groggily.

"What?"

Her voice sounded dry and slightly hoarse. Tony blinked owlishly back at her.

"You wouldn't wake up," he griped, attempting to sound more put out than fearful. "We thought you'd gone zombie on us or something."

She managed to look less than impressed with his answer.

"I'm a deep sleeper, remember?"

"Not like that."

And then she pulled her arms out from beneath the sheets and the entire team sucked in air between clenched teeth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you enjoyed Tony being a total goober that does care about people, but tries to pretend that he's cool. Feel free to leave a review, let me know what you thought of it, etc., etc.! And thank you GraceSong for the awesome suggestion! I had fun with this!


	3. Alternate Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate ending/sequel to Universal Headaches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Since I went a few weeks without posting, I thought I'd finally add this tidbit I wrote. I waited to put it up because I didn't want to affect how people read "Universal Displacement", but hopefully it's settled in enough now.
> 
> Originally, I had "Universal Headaches" end very differently. It was going to be have a whole different sequel, but I decided to change it as "Headaches" progressed. In my first outline, Sutton didn't follow the Avengers back to their universe, and never really found out what her "potential", that Loki mentioned, was. 
> 
> I didn't actually get to the point of writing the alternate ending, but if I had, it would have gone something like this.

Six months had passed since the Avengers had finally found their way back to their own universe. Sutton was only just settling back into some semblance of a routine. The fact that she'd only barely scraped by without any long term consequences still kept her awake some nights. And, at least once a week, she found herself digging down into her bottom desk drawer to pull up her picture with them. Just to reassure herself that it'd all actually happened. She did even find herself occasionally missing them. (Loki excluded; the creep.)

But she was moving on as well as one could for having discovered that alternate universes existed. _Somehow_ she'd found that she suddenly had enough money to afford going back to school, and she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. She figured Tony had more than compensated for her toaster, and he was forgiven.

Vicki had come home a week after all the hullabaloo went down and never suspected a thing. Well, actually, the charred living room had concerned her a bit, but Sutton had enough to pay for that too. And the couple upgrades to the house were enough to soothe her roommate.

_She really didn't want to know where all the money came from._

Currently, Vicki was in her room while Sutton tried to work on some soon-to-be-due homework. She stood in front of a small video camera and tried to keep up with a random politician's speech playing in the background while she signed. Classes were getting a bit more difficult now and she worked to keep an easygoing expression while she strung together ideas and tenses.

It was a bit hard to concentrate, though, because she was going out to dinner with Vicki later and she still couldn't decide if she wanted General Tso's or chicken tikka masala.

_They only went out a couple times a month. This was an important decision._

She was just signing, _"America. A nation of endless possibilities-"_ when everything in the living room suddenly shook.

Sutton stumbled back, blinded by a very bright, very close, light. She could hear her tripod clatter and fall over, taking the camera with it.

"Ahhh!"

Her hands fumbled, fingers finally finding the wall behind her as she tried to blink spots from her eyes.

"Vicki?"

_"Guess again."_

Sutton's blood ran cold.

"No."

She was still mostly blinded, but she didn't have to be able to see to be afraid. Sutton stumbled back further and tried to scramble away from the direction the voice had come from. The voice _tsk'd_ off to her side and she felt, partially saw, something shift next to her.

"Vicki!"

Frozen fingers gripped at her upper arm and latched on.

"You don't _really_ want to involve her in this, do you?"

Her vision was clearing but it didn't bring any reassurances. _All she saw was black and green._

"You-you're supposed to be-"

"Back in my own realm?"  
Loki stared pleasantly down at her, and Sutton's now seeing eyes were wide open; the pupil blown wide.

"My dear girl, when one finds a door such as the one that leads here, they would be a fool to ever close it all the way."

Sutton was still frozen in fear and offered no resistance even though her very cells were screaming a warning.

"The Avengers captured you! You were going back to Asgard."

Loki looked down at himself as if in amazement.

"Was I? How baffling!"  
  
"Unless..." But the idea that Loki had fooled everyone the entire time was too terrifying to consider. They'd have noticed if he'd duplicated himself, right? The grin that stretched across his face spoke otherwise.

"Sutton? Did you trip over your tripod again? I heard a crash."

Vicki's voice floated closer from down the hall and Sutton was torn between calling for help and telling her roommate to run. Loki glanced back toward the hall flippantly and readjusted his grip on her arm.

"I suppose it's time to go."

"No!"

Sutton's brain finally snapped through her nerves with a, _"run, you fool!"_ and she struggled in vain for freedom. But it was too late. Not that she'd ever stood a chance to begin with.

Sutton felt a tug, as if a rope had been tied to her body and consciousness itself, and violently yanked forward. Her scream was swallowed up by the void she suddenly found herself in. There was no wind, but Sutton could still feel herself being pulled until she thought she'd be pulled apart altogether.

When it finally stopped, Sutton found herself limp in Loki's hold. They were standing on what seemed like some stony outcropping, but she knew they were no longer on earth. Stars twinkled above her as well as blazing below her. Rocky debris floated carelessly passed their perch and she started sucking in desperate breaths.

_How could she breath? She shouldn't be able to breath!_

But what caught her attention, more than the fact that it appeared she was _in space_ , was the inky black wall that loomed before her. No stars pierced its curtain. The meteors on her sides swung away from it. It left a prickling feeling in her stomach that burned up into her throat.

"What...is that?"

"Nothing."

Her glare shot up to Loki where he stood smug beside her.

"Don't give me that. It's obviously _something._ "

Loki sighed, suddenly frowning.

"Are all mortals as thick as you?" His voice gave her whiplash as it turned back into a purr. "It. Is. _Nothing."_

Sutton stood quiet, letting his words sink in.

_Nothing._

A chill went down her spine.

"You don't mean...it's _actually_ Nothing? Like, nothing _ness_."

Loki kept his gaze on the Nothingness.

"It can't _actually_ be Nothing," Sutton argued. "There's always _something._ "

"The universes are filled, overflowing, with _somethings,_ " Loki said slyly. "Surely there is one space that there is allowed to be _Nothing._ "

Sutton swallowed forcefully.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Ah, there's the question."

He hadn't released his grip on her arm, and used his hold to pull her up closer.

"You are going to do something for me," he said. "It won't be too difficult for your feeble mind. And afterwards, I will take you... _home._ "

Sutton's stomach churned. It was just her and Loki here. No one in her world could help her. And none of the Avengers had any idea she was in trouble in the first place. She was utterly alone and at this mad alien's mercy.

"I can't do anything you'd find useful," she tried to remind him. "I'm human."

The ominous proclamation about _'potential'_ glided through her mind, but she brushed it aside.

"But if _you're_ asking," she continued, "I can't imagine it'd be anything good."

"We'll leave that to me to determine," Loki dismissed. "Will you do it without fuss?"

Sutton hesitated. She didn't even know what "it" was. But she couldn't betray the Avengers, could she? They counted her as part of the team!

"N-no. No, I won't." To her satisfaction, she finished the statement firmly.

"I was hoping you'd say that. I'll be back when you're ready to change your mind."

"Wha-"

Loki's grip on her arm intensified, and he pulled her back only to shove her forward. Sutton screamed, flailing desperately for some kind of hold. The black Nothing grew before her until it swallowed her vision completely.

Her screaming had filled the non-existent atmosphere as she fell into the looming void until it suddenly stopped. Actually, _everything_ stopped.

She couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't even feel the vibrations of her vocal chords anymore. Couldn't even feel the reassuring weight of her own limbs. If it weren't for her thoughts, she wouldn't exist at all.

Sutton tried to hold onto her memories, her ideas and thoughts as well as she could. She reached out in her mind for her mother, but the blackness was starting to creep in to her mind too.

There was no time in the Nothing. Sutton lost count of the seconds quickly, until it seemed as if she'd always been there. The exact shade of blue of her mother's eyes eluded her. She couldn't remember her brother's name.

Had it been years? Had she been born in this black Nothingness? Was she even real at all?

Hallucinations had long since come and gone and left Sutton with a numb emptiness.

Eventually, she became Nothing as well.

 

The first thing she was aware of, that she could actually process, was a pressure. It was familiar. What was it? There was...what was the word? Much? No. She was...h-heavy. That was it! She felt!

There was light everywhere; Sutton shrank back, blinking against the harshness.

Seeing! That's what eyes did.

Her body convulsed, once, twice, and suddenly her chest expanded drastically. Sutton felt a sensation rush passed her teeth and fill her up.

It burned!

After the first time she couldn't stop. It was ragged. Panting.

Breathing! She was breathing!

She coughed and sputtered, her body continuing to heave as it readjusted to existing. And then something else wrapped around her and invaded her senses.

"Are you quite done?"

Sutton blinked and her head lolled limply back so she could see upwards. A shape loomed tall above her. It was dark and cold. Sutton shivered.

For the first time in however long, she had some form of motor control and her mouth opened and closed uselessly. The shape above her jostled her a bit.

"Come now, don't be _completely_ useless."

She knew that shape. Words and sensations were filtering back to her slowly.

_Colors: black and gold. A creeping unease._

"L...l...lllllll-"

With no effort, she was lifted up and mock stood on her feet. One arm was still pulled high above her head as she was held up.

"Lo-Loki...?"

Her mind was still a jumbled mess, but words and knowledge and memories were trickling back in. Her brain felt like sloshing oatmeal in a bowl.

"Can you understand me now, mortal? Answer me quickly, my patience with you is beginning to wear thin."

"...Y-yes."

"Good. And do you recall the discussion we had before?"  
Sutton was silent as she frantically racked her brain for an answer. She could feel a _thump-thump-thumping_ in her chest that was almost painful, and her skin felt suddenly moist.

_Alone. Anxious. Questions._

"I-y-you want...yes."

"Are you ready to be cooperative?"

It was like he was taking a wooden spoon to her soggy oatmeal mind. It was hard enough to think simple sentences, let alone come to an intelligent decision for a dangerous situation. There were other people in this world that she knew and they'd be sad if she said yes. She could feel it.

The red and blue man. There was another made of metal. Made of? That didn't sound right.

The woman who looked like her. _Mother_ , her brain finally supplied.

There was a sensation of solidity finally taking effect in her limbs, like her muscles were growing back, and she tested out her own weight tentatively. But Loki was impatient for an answer.

"Sutton Regan," he tsk'd, "stalling will not save you."

"I-I can't," it was hard to formulate the words. What was she trying to say? "I don't-"

Loki hummed in a mock sadness and lifted her fully off the solid ground.

"Perhaps some more time in Nothing, then."

Sutton felt something icy and hot all at once shoot up from her toes into the back of her skull. Her muscles were suddenly not in her control and shivered violently.

"No! No, no, no, no, no! P-please!"

And even though she was blanking on what words would properly describe her state, Sutton could feel a wetness gushing from her eyes, her lip trembling while her body attempted to recoil.

"Pl-ease, no. Not again. Not-not again!"

She would not survive another stay in Nothing. She couldn't stand the loneliness. The intense _need_ to know she existed, to _feel_ , and yet be deprived of it. The loss of hope. And the loss of herself. She wouldn't be able to handle being _unmade_ again.

Loki's grin at her reaction was feral and devoid of any sympathy.

"Then you agree."

"I'll d-do it! Please!"

He lowered her back down then, set her on her feet and brushed his hands over her shoulders gently. It was a cruel impression of someone caring, but Sutton was in no mind to think deeply on it.

"That's a girl," he cooed. "I see your time away did you some good. Now, what I ask of you is simple. You need not even lift a finger."

Sutton turned her tear ridden face up to the once fancied film character. That seemed so long ago now. Before the blackness she was just rescued from. If it could even be called a  rescue.

"What I want you to do, is listen very carefully to every word I say. And I want you _to imagine it._ "


	4. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Just thought I'd put another "alternate ending/sequel" blurb up! It's kind of fun writing this plot line that never was, and it's a good way to loosen up; kind of like a writing exercise. Hopefully it'll be amusing/interesting to someone else! :P

Blinking twice, she found herself lying on a tile floor, her body limp against the cool surface. She was facing a tall, wide window that looked over a city that she couldn't name. Her face felt sticky and taut as she struggled to sit up. With one trembling had she could feel her own swollen cheeks and eyes. Beneath her nose was crusty and tight and she found flakes of dried blood on her fingertips when she pulled her hand away.

"What the..."

Outside, the city was in shambles. Bones of rebar jutted out sharply in the hazy blue sky, dimmed by smoke and ash. It almost seemed like the whole city, as far as the eye could see, had been consumed by a now dying fire. Sutton felt a curdling in her stomach as she stood and soaked the scene in. What had caused such destruction? The question made her instinctively gag but she couldn't quite piece together why that would be, besides the fact that it was horrible. There was a confusing weight on her shoulders like a heavy regret that she didn't understand, but it made her all the more uneasy. If only she could remember! But remember what?

_What she'd done._

Sutton's legs buckled wildly as the thought struck her.

_Her? She'd done?_

No. This couldn't have been her doing. But her stomach was cramping and tears were starting to roll down her cheeks regardless of her denial. In no time at all of her body was wracked in heaving sobs that she couldn't control. Every breath that she managed to take was quickly stolen by her gasping cries. She was practically keening for a full five minutes before it even dawned on her as to _why_. Her head shot up towards the window, eyes widening and pupils constricting as tears still continued to pour out of the corners.

She _did_ do this.

Loki had taken her, left her in the Nothing, manipulated her into doing his bidding. And she had completely crumbled. He had spoken to her words that weren't true, but in her jumbled state of mind she had believed him.

What-what had she _done?_

What was she _capable of?_

Her limbs were still trembling as she attempted to support herself using the window.

A world where the Avengers had lost the war, that's what she had created. A world where Loki won and now reigned as earth's king. She was sickened by herself. It was obvious that he had not returned her home or ever had that intention in the first place. He was probably planning on keeping her here for future use. Words could not describe how violated and stupid she felt.

She shouldn't have done it!

No matter the price, she shouldn't have caved. She should have just sacrificed herself for her friends, and the world, like actual heroes did. Her friends, the Avengers, who were probably-

_No!_

_No, they weren't dead!_

She could feel her diaphragm began to seize in panic while her mind flew through her fragmented memory.

_No._ No matter what Loki had said she could never imagine the Avengers dead. Imprisoned, yes; but alive.

Her heart calmed slightly with this knowledge.

Even standing on her own two, bare feet, she didn't dare move away from the support of the window. Her arms and legs felt limp and exhausted and a headache danced around the edges of her skull. It felt almost like she'd barely taken a step back from the brink of death itself. She wiped more dried blood from above her lip absentmindedly.

If she had caused this...could she fix it? Could she put it all back?

Well, she had to no matter what! She would have done it that very moment, but her brain felt particularly tender. It was oddly similar to that pulling ache after a harsh workout at the gym, only worse. Like if she tried to think too hard she might tear something important. That thought didn't really appeal to her. And the fact that she'd had a nose bleed and been unconscious, things that rarely to never happened to her, only displayed how much effort this world change had taken.

Sutton didn't know how long she was leaned up against the window before she couldn't stand looking out over the broken city anymore. Turning to look back into the room she was being held in, she searched for anything that could be relevant to her. It was a nice room, obviously built without concern to cost. The exact function of the room was not obvious, as there was not one piece of furniture to give her any hints. Just the polished tile floor, the large window, and a couple doors. Sutton took a shuddering breath and pulled at her tangled, frizzy hair.

Using the window, and then the wall, as support she was able to slowly make her way around the empty room to the closest door. When she managed to push it open, and it shouldn't have been as difficult as it had been to do so, she was met with another, smaller empty room. She assumed it was a closet. The next door opened into an equally empty bathroom. The last door didn't open at all.

With her short but draining exploration complete, Sutton tried to ignore her churning stomach and stuttering heart by feebly telling herself that she'd set everything right once her brain felt like it'd healed up.

If she could destroy the world, then she could fix it. She could make it right.

_She could fix this, she could fix this, she_ _ would _ _fix this._

_She had to fix this._

It was getting hard to keep her eyes open now, her body was beginning to sag towards the floor. Swaying side to side, Sutton managed to curl herself up against the wall with her back to the large, accusing window. A few tears still managed to leak out despite feeling like she'd cried herself out. Her bottom lip quivered and she bit down into it harshly.

Loki would pay for this.

Once she set the world straight and the Avengers were free she would see to the retribution for herself. He wanted to abuse her 'potential'? Well, she'd show him just how much potential she really had.


	5. Phantom Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Non-canon. Oneshot. Sutton finds herself in the Phantom of the Opera universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovely readers! Here's a oneshot for Penelope Zozes (from ffn) who might've mentioned wanting to see "Phantom of the Opera". Well, Sutton might not being going there in 'Universal Displacement', but it's always fun to see her in new places! 
> 
> And I really do love Phantom of the Opera! Webber's music is great, and I can't even tell you how many times I've listened to that CD. Not sure Sutton shares the sentiment though! 
> 
> Just a note: "Words in italics while in quotation marks means a character is singing."

Sutton hurried down a dimly lit corridor feeling extremely out of place and at a clear disadvantage thanks to the large ball gown she sported. It had way too much fabric in the skirt and swirled around her feet whenever she tried to pick up the pace.

"Crimeny," she complained as she tugged up on the bodice. "Can't even fill _this one_ out."

The sound of distant voices reminded her that the fit of the dress was the least of her concerns right now.

She'd managed to blend in as one of the staff for a few days, actually, but now her cover was completely blown. Someone _just had to_ get hanged from the stage riggings sending everyone into a paranoid tizzy, causing them to realize,

_'Wait._ _ You're _ _not on the payroll.'_

Her perfected role as one of the kitchen staff had been carelessly shattered, which was why she'd tried to slip into a more respectable and totally opposite style dress, and book it until they gave up chasing her.

It was a large opera house, which should have given her plenty of hiding places, but Sutton was fairly certain that there was another unwelcome occupant she wasn't keen on meeting. That's why, when she found herself at a staircase, she deemed it wise to go _up_ instead of _down_.

"Like keeping my hand at the level of my eye would do anything," she snorted. A bit bemusedly she wondered if her hair would be enough of a barrier to prevent strangulation.

The staircase was narrow and wooden, Sutton could see other people running to the stage and therefore paying little attention to her, which was appreciated. Sutton hefted up some of her skirt in both hands to stop herself from tripping up the stairs. She was still wearing a pair of old, black Converse sneakers and they looked ridiculous paired with the red taffeta gown.

_Hmm, ridiculous? Or punk?_

On her way away from the righteously angry staff and suspicious kitchen managers Sutton found herself passing numerous set props and dresses and shelves upon shelves of oddly disturbing masks.

_As if she needed the reminder_.

The disgruntled voices behind her were beginning to die off, but Sutton kept running just to be on the safe side. She came to another staircase, metal that spiraled up, and she ran up that one too with a huff.

_Seriously, there'd been too much running lately._

At the top of the stairs was nothing but a door and she took a moment to catch her breath before carefully easing it open. It was a thick, sturdy, metal door with a small round window in the top, and it did a well enough job of keeping out the cold. She knew because once the door was cracked open she could feel the drop in temperature.

A bit belatedly, Sutton noticed voices.

Stifling a yelp of surprise, Sutton slipped passed the door and quickly darted behind the statue of some man standing proudly. Luckily for her the couple hadn't been facing the door she just emerged from.

_"And I heard as I've never heard before."_

_"What you heard was a dream and nothing more."_

Crap.

Sutton crouched down, the skirt of her dress piling up around her and peered around the base of the statue.

_Of course;_ the roof! Why hadn't she realized that Christine and her boyfriend would be on the roof?

_Maybe_ because she'd seen this movie a total of two times tops and had only read the book once as a requirement way back in high school.

It was as she continued to listen and wait for the pair to finally leave, which they didn't seem to be doing anytime soon, that she understood what it was that struck her as odd about them. They were singing! They were honest-to-goodness singing the same as they would have a normal conversation!

"Holy crap," she muttered to herself. "This universe is an actual _freaking_ musical. _Why me?_ "

It was starting to snow now and Sutton scowled. She didn't have a jacket or cloak or whatever, and was starting to freeze.

_Wrap it up people. We get it. You love each other. Let's go._

It was starting to get weird. There wasn't even any background music to accompany them.

The pair continued to stroll around the balcony while in song and Sutton was forced to scurry around the statue in order to remain out of sight.

_Great, now they were making out too!_

Movement out of the corner of her eye had her turning her head elsewhere and she had to choke back another gasp. She had caught sight of a black cape flaring behind a statue to her left; she could kick herself for not remembering the Phantom himself made an appearance.

Her face was flushed, mirroring her dress, from frustration and the cold as she now tried to make sure neither party spotted her.

"I hate this, I hate this, I hate musicals, I hate _this_ ," Sutton thought in agitation. _"_ The minute I get back home I am writing a flippin' 3,000 page novel, I don't even care. I am going to cram that thing down people's throats until they love it. I am sick of this universe hopping already."

When the unobservant couple finally left to go back inside, Sutton still couldn't make a break for the door because the Phantom had already crossed the balcony to weepily nuzzle the discarded rose he'd given to Christine. _He was singing too._

_Oh my gosh, he's not even one of the ugly Phantoms. Just be rich and no one will even care!_

He finally seemed to have a shift in attitude, crushing the rose between his fingers like it was it was some poor stage man's neck, and ran for another statute at the edge of the roof.

_"You will curse the day you did not do, all that the Phantom asked of you!"_

Sutton found it all to be a bit melodramatic and self-centered, to be honest. Not quite the romantic vibe that she'd heard some people gush about.

As he faced outward towards the city, Sutton decided to try and make a break for it. Who knew how long he'd just be staring broodily at the world he was never a part of. Once again she gathered up the skirt of her dress and began to tip-toe towards the door.

_"Wait. Just where you are. Take not another step!"_

Sutton froze instantly only because she'd never actually been sung _at_ before and it was completely unexpected. Slowly she swiveled slightly on the ball of her foot in order to peek over her shoulder. Gerard Butler was staring at her. And he didn't look exactly pleased. She watched as he stepped off the large horse statue and strolled forwards towards her.

_"Did you think I had not noticed you?"_ In a normal voice he spoke the next sentence. "A prying girl in a red dress is hard to miss. What are you doing here?"

Sutton got the impression from the tone of his voice that there was a correct answer to that question. What was she going to say? Did she have to sing it to him?

"Um, _monsieur, I-_ uh _-I beg your pardon, sir."_

Her pronunciation of the French word was poor at best and she twiddled her fingers nervously. Verbal languages had never been her strong suit. Her singing voice was more-or-less tolerable, perhaps it could be even decent with practice, but she'd never bothered to invest time into it.

The Phantom tilted his head curiously at her, but otherwise remained waiting for an acceptable answer from her.

"Someone was hung on the stage," she hedged cautiously. "I was frightened and ran. I wasn't quite thinking rationally."

She edged a toe closer to the metal door leading into the much warmer building and motioned towards it.

"I'll, uh, I mean, _I'll just leave you to it, then. Bon voyage! Err, or, adieu!"_

The Phantom acquired a bit of a mad gleam in his eye at her response, and Sutton had gone through enough universes by now to have learned not to wait for a counter reply from antagonists. She lifted those skirts and she flew through that door before he could sing another note.

If he was attempting to pursue her, Sutton couldn't tell. Her own footsteps were too loud to hear past and looking backwards was a rookie "Horror Film 101" mistake to make. Especially while going down stairs. She was doing everything not to fall down them now as it was.

The further down she ran the more people she started to notice. Everyone was still shocked and horrified over one of the staff being recently hanged and there were some people trying to clear out the theater. It was still a bit chaotic, really. It was inevitable that she run into another human being at some point. After all, she wasn't some invisible watcher that floated through these different worlds. She just wished she hadn't run into the very kitchen manager she'd run to the roof in order to escape from.

"Oof!"

"You!"

Sutton still wasn't sure why they were so upset. She'd been _working for them_! For free! All she'd taken as payment was some food!

"The Phantom," she screeched desperately on a whim. "I saw the Phantom! Oh heavens, he is in the opera house!"

The outburst was enough to startle the kitchen manager and distract him from his original quest to press charges or whatnot. It also garnered a bit of attention from the surrounding people in earshot. They gathered around her, to her dismay, and seemed to be waiting for further explanation.

"Um, _the Phantom of the Opera is here, inside….this building! I have_ … _seen him here…."_

Sutton was fumbling; she did not feel like doing a whole musical number for these people. And what could she say? She couldn't say he looked like Gerard Butler! No one would buy that as a disfigured, ghostly being. She tried to remember the description from the book.

_"His eyes, they burn,"_ she continued while shrugging lamely. _"His face looks skeletal, beneath the mask. If …he were …demon or man, I did not ask."_

Her poorly composed solo ended abruptly there and she stared wide-eyed at the crowd that had formed around her. There was a nervous chatter going up from among them.

"What did I say? The Phantom did this!"

"He has killed a man!"

"This can't go on!"

"Hush! Do not speak of it!"

Sutton took advantage of the mad swell of people to slip away unnoticed, which she was very proud of. It wasn't easy just "slipping away" while wearing a giant, brazenly red dress. The sneakers did help though with maneuverability.

Not quite knowing where to go, Sutton tried to find a quieter corner of the building to huddle in for a moment. Without a doubt, she wasn't getting any help on finding a way home. Her only real option was to wait it out and hope that her body had a spasm and decided to leave sooner rather than later.

There was only the very large problem of where to go from here. Her gig was up at this place, _and_ she'd been spotted by the Phantom. There really wasn't any desire in her to see him again. Not when the most she remembered about his character was stalking and nooses.

So it was greatly disappointing when a looming, shadowy figure stepped out from behind a corner and into her personal space. Sutton was so sick and tired of running, especially in this _floofy_ dress, that she didn't even try. Besides, what was the point? He'd already shown he could find her in this maze of a building and he had longer legs than her. Instead, she just let herself go limp and landed on the floor on her side and groaned.

"Why," she whined. "This always happens, I swear. What is it? Do I have a big neon sign above my head?"

He stood silently above her a bit longer; Sutton assumed he was disturbed by the way she reacted to being near him. Not the usual screaming and running in terror he was probably used to. When it was quiet for too long Sutton craned her head up in order to stare at him. If nothing else, she had to give him credit for style. His suit was dark enough that it seemed like it absorbed all the light around him and extinguished it. It made the stark white of his mask stand out even more sharply. With a sigh, she pushed herself up to her knees.

"Alright, what now? I'm tired of running and you know this place like the back of your hand, so the odds aren't in my favor."

"You know who I am and yet you do not flee," he said. "Why?"

"Well," Sutton responded a bit irritably, "if you'll recall I just explained, I tried that already and it didn't work. I'd like to not have to exert the energy if there's not even going to be any payoff."

"You do not cower," he clarified a bit more bluntly.

"Well, sorry to tell you, but you're not exactly as horrifying as you think you are. I mean, you're actually quite decent looking. Not a whole lot to cower away from. Besides, I did my fair share of cowering a year ago; it didn't really sit well with me."

His face took on a baffled expression, eyes widening slightly and brows furrowed with his hands clasped behind his back. Quite frankly it made Sutton uneasy. She was still afraid of becoming that "special" character that many a fanfic favored.

_She traveled through universes and knew the Avengers on a first name basis, who was she trying to kid?_

"My French is horrible and I can't sing, _please_ don't fall in love with me."

That morphed his face into a look of revulsion so fast she might've been able to believe it'd been there from the beginning.

"You think too highly of yourself," he spat. His stance suddenly changed, becoming wide, his chest filling out, and Sutton suppressed another groan.

_"You think, I'd teach you? A child without purpose? Your voice, can't compare, to that of Christine Daae's!"_

_"_ Ok wait a minute," Sutton interrupted, "I remember that tune. That's just that _Night_ song with some lamer lyrics! And I was just making sure we were all clear on everyone's intentions. I'm glad we're cool."

He effectively ignored her, as she found many people did, _huh_ , and addressed the topic most important to him.

"But now you have seen me."

Sutton really didn't like the way that sounded.

Rapidly, she shot to her feet and steadied herself against the wall. With a glare she edged a bit to the side.

"Don't get any ideas, buddy. I have no interest in the least of spreading any rumors about you. _You_ think too highly of yourself. And, just to warn you, I know a lady who could snap your neck with her thighs alone and she totally taught me everything she knew."

As long as the Phantom didn't know her obvious tell, she should be set.

But his face grew grim at her implied threat, his countenance only seeming to grow even darker in the enclosed space.

She could probably do something. She did have that "imagination" thing going for her, after all. There was always the option of believing he was uglier, more like the book had described and that was sure to distract him for a bit. Maybe she could try to imagine a secret trap door behind her to escape through.

_She really ought to try and start utilizing this ability more often._

So when the Phantom made a move as if to grab her, Sutton stiffened her jaw and set her gaze in determination. She smirked and hummed a tune mockingly.

_"Alright buddy, you asked for it."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are appreciated! And I'm open to requests, so if you're interested just send a PM or mention it in a review! Thanks folks!


	6. Oneshot- Rise of the Believer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sutton finds herself in the world of The Guardians.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This oneshot has been a long time in coming! (Sorry about that.) But this one is for anelson21 (from ffn), who requested Big Hero 6 or Rise of the Guardians.
> 
> I feel like this one doesn't get super into all the characters, but it was getting a bit long so I decided to end it where I did. Hopefully it's still enjoyable!
> 
> Thanks for the request! (I had fun writing Pitch).

" _Ahhh! Oof!"_

Sutton tumbled head over heels down a dark, rocky tunnel. With one last roll she jolted to a stop and landed on her rear, her face dazed. With a few blinks and inhales, she oriented herself and managed to stand on her own two feet. She found herself in a dank cavern, vast and empty.

"Hello?  _Hello?_  Can anyone hear me?"  
The tunnel she'd fallen down didn't look like it'd be easy to climb back up, and her upper body strength was still something to be desired. But the odds of someone actually hearing her cries for help were slim to none.

She'd been wandering around a forest before she fell down that hole, and she didn't even know what universe she was in now. She hadn't really run into anyone so far.

With trepidation, she shuffled further into the cave system, trying to see if there was another way out. Up ahead the tunnel widened and seemed to open up; she could see a bit of light shining down. As she continued on, she was forced to watch her footing as the rocky floor broke apart and rose up at uneven intervals.

"Can anyone help? Hello!"

But the room was silent and still. Sutton stopped her trek into the cave in order to survey the space. With one hand resting over a newly forming bruise on her back, she finally looked up. And upon looking up she became immediately concerned.

There were cages hanging from the ceiling. Fancy _, metal_ , birdcage-like cages hanging from thick chains.

"Um, ok…." She rubbed at her arm absently as her eyes darted around further. "Usually not a good sign."

Something in the corner of her eye caught her attention.

_Flickering lights?_

It was a globe, a metal  _taller-than-she-was_ _globe_ _._  And there were little yellow lights flickering all over it like cities.

"Oh.  _Oh no._ "

Now she knew. She knew this one better than she knew  _Phantom of the Opera_. (She'd liked this movie more.)

_Rise of the Guardians._

So maybe she used her little brother as an excuse to go see kid movies? She still liked some of them! And if she remembered correctly,  _and she definitely did_ , she was right in the lair of…

_"Pitch Black."_

Shadows shifted around her.

"Did you say my name?"

Sutton tried not to stiffen as a honeyed voice suddenly spoke out of the darkness. If she just pretended she couldn't hear him, or see him, maybe she'd get out of here without trouble. She kept her eyes unfocused as she scanned the room again casually.

"Huh," she breathed. Without turning around she took one step back. "Maybe I'll try the tunnel again."

"I heard you. I can feel your fear."

Sutton turned, still not able to see any figures, and destroyed her whole façade when she yelped and jumped back. She was met by the tall, looming figure and equally surprised face of Pitch Black.

"You can see me."  
It was a little hard to try and fake adult ignorance and disbelief after making direct eye contact.

"But you're an adult," Pitch said, dumbfounded. "I've never met someone so old who still believes."

Sutton still wasn't sure what to say. Pitch Black cut an imposing figure. He was tall and lean, with gray skin, black hair, and piercing golden eyes. She could catch glimpses of pointed teeth when he spoke. The black ensemble with robe didn't help either. And then she realized what was really disconcerting about him to her.

"You look real!"

The movie had been an animated kid film, but this world had appeared very real and textured to her. The black pillar of a man before her looked just that, like a flesh and blood man.

"That's because I  _am_  real, darling."

He had a gleam in those golden eyes now and Sutton took another step back. It caused him to grin mischievously. In that moment Sutton decided it would do her no good to hang around. She darted past Pitch and headed for the tunnel she'd foolishly fallen down. But it was dark and there were shadows everywhere. Her foot stepped into one dark patch of ground and she fell. It felt almost like she was falling through a dense sheer curtain. And then she was standing up again in a new section of cave that she didn't recognize.

"Leaving so soon? It's been so long since I've had visitors."  
Sutton scowled into the darkness.

"Let me go  _right now_ , or I'll-"

A shadow sprung up in front of her and the Nightmare King's face emerged from it. He loomed over her with arms clasped behind his back.

"Or you'll  _what?_  You're older than twelve and still believe in the  _Boogeyman_."

Sutton glared in insult.

"Yeah, you say that like it's the dumbest thing ever, and yet, here you are."

He was still grinning.

"Tell me, what is it that grownups fear? It's been  _so long_  since one's believed in me. Not since the Dark Ages. You're quite the breath of fresh air."

Sutton attempted to defiantly walk away again, but found herself surrounded by many of Pitch's shadowed silhouettes. Long fingers uncurled from hands and caged her in along the wall.

"Let's see," his voice purred around her. Sutton couldn't see his actual form now, just the shadows he chose to cast.

"You fear you'll never be able to find your way home. That goes a bit further than just you falling into my humble home, doesn't it? And,  _oh my_ , what's this?"

A flash of sharp teeth shone from the darkness before her.

" _You fear yourself_. How delightfully new!"

She only stiffened at that because it was true and she hadn't quite made it around to admitting it to herself yet.

"Well, I'm  _not_  afraid of you," she snapped back.

And the more she thought about it, the more she found it to be basically true. He might be dark and menacing in appearance, but this was a  _kid's_  movie world, right? It'd been a long time since all she was scared of was the dark and monsters in her closet. What could this  _boogeyman_  really do?

"Perhaps not," Pitch agreed pleasantly. "But that certainly won't help you leave."

Sutton growled in the back of her throat and pushed away from the cave wall.

"You have no power over me," she said with her chin tilted up.

The dancing shadows around her suddenly vanished until all that was left was Pitch himself, staring at her in an insulted disbelief.

"Really, ' _The Labyrinth'?_  You're going to go with that quote?"

Sutton's jaw almost became unhinged.

"Y-you know that-"

" _Please._  Do you know how many children that movie frightened?"

_Fair enough._

"Huh," she mused to herself. "I'm going to have to tell Tony that Bowie transcends time and space." Thinking a moment, Sutton then waved her arms in a rapid dismissing motion as she realized she was getting off track. "Regardless, I'm leaving your creepy cave, you're going to leave me alone, and I'm going home."

Another shadow swallowed her up and she found herself seated on the bottom of one of the hanging cages.

"Hey!"

Pitch stood on a ledge slightly below her.

"You're quite calm for an adult meeting the Boogeyman," he commented as if he just noticed, "and an easy believer, although you didn't notice me when you first entered this room. What sorts of monsters have you met before me?"

"Let me out of here right now! This is illegal;  _kidnapping!"_

He laughed at her and her outrage.

"And who will miss you up above?  _You have no home_."

Sutton sucked in a sharp breath and pulled her lips in tightly. Her fingers gripped the metal bars of the cage as she stared wide-eyed down at him. Her heart pounded out an unsteady rhythm as she tried to tell herself to ignore the words. But they were more truth than lie; at least in this universe. And even then, where did she really belong when she didn't exist in one universe and would be incarcerated for life in her own?

"That's a cheap shot," she bit out.

Pitch merely shrugged lazily.

"I merely seize opportunities where I can."

"Oh, like kidnapping young women," Sutton snapped back with a venomous grin. "I never pegged the Boogeyman as a guy who'd stoop so low for a few kicks."

"I'm surprised you'd have an opinion on me at all. A bit odd for a girl in her, what, twenties?"

Sutton only settled him with a miffed stare.

"I have a vivid imagination."

Pitch Black hummed noncommittally in the back of his throat. He studied her with sharp yellow eyes a moment longer before he smirked to himself and turned away.

"Sorry to leave so soon after introductions," he tossed over his shoulder, "but I have a few errands to tend to. I'm sure you understand. But never  _fear_ , I'll be back shortly."

Sutton rose up from the floor of the cage, fingers curling out of the tiny holes in the metal bars.

"Hey! I'm serious! Let me  _out!_ "

But his form just turned a hazy black, disappearing like smoke, and only leaving an echoing laugh in his place.

Sutton did not know what Pitch's definition of  _shortly_  was, but it was clear that it didn't line up with her own. After several attempts at unlocking the cage, trying to fit an arm through the criss-crossed bars, and kicking at the door, she gave up and flopped onto her back. She breathed out a frustrated huff of air and glared at the ceiling of the cage.

When that grew dull, Sutton made pictures out of the shifting shadows on the walls. It was as she was creating a slender dragon out of a few looping shadows that something happened. The shadow dragon actually leapt from the wall and glided over to her, it's body seeming to ripple like a dolphin in the sea. Sutton choked on her own spit and scrambled into a sitting position. The shadow dragon, looking like nothing more than a silhouette with yellow eyes, entered her cage, bobbed around her head, under her arm, and then phased back out of the cage once more.

"Oh! Wonderful," Sutton cooed. "You can get in  _and_  out! Come back, little guy! I got a job for you!"

The serpent-like dragon swam through the air back to her and Sutton held out a hand as if to pet it.

"I'm a little stuck," she told it. "It would be just lovely if you could get a message to some people for me. But, let's see," she stared thoughtfully at the shadow. "Let's make you a little friendlier looking if we can. How's that sound?"

Sutton ran a finger down the length of the shadow and watched, completely proud of herself, as it phased from shadow to light. It now flickered and shifted in blues and greens like the famed aurora borealis of the night sky. Sutton grinned widely.

"They can't turn you away now! So, if you wouldn't mind, could you possibly go to the North Pole for some help?"

The new dragon of light spun up, out of the cage, and Sutton watched as it swam through the air and towards the tunnel to the surface. Shock at her success and pride sat warm in her belly and she gave the creature a little wave.

"Thank you!"

Somewhere down in the caves, a whinny echoed in reply.

After Sutton had sent off her dragon, it didn't take long for Pitch Black to return. Sutton wasn't quite sure which direction he'd came from, but he flew barreling up to her cage on the back of one of his Nightmares. He eyes were dark, sharp, and probing.

"If my Nightmare is to be trusted," he said deceptively calm, "then you aren't quite human, are you."

Sutton stayed in her cross-legged position and maintained a nonplussed appearance.

"I guess they can't be trusted then. They  _are_  horses, after all."

Pitch bared his teeth at her and pulled on the reigns as his Nightmare reared in agitation.

"You're one of MiM's, aren't you? Are you one of his new little creations?"

Sutton scoffed, remembered that she should at least  _pretend_  to be a little ignorant, and then cocked her head in false confusion.

"What kind of name is Mim? No offense, Boogeyman, but you sound like you've been in these caves a little too long."

Pitch responded unfavorably, but Sutton was too distracted by his Nightmare to notice. It really did look like an actual horse made of black sand. It was a bit on the thin side for a horse, but that just lent it a more eerie air. A wisp of sand kept rising and curling around on its head so that it almost resembled a bow right behind the horse's ear. The idea of Pitch on a frilly horse humored Sutton so much that she had to swallow a giggle and try not to smile. And then the little wisp of sand by the horse's head thickened, solidified, and Sutton stared wide-eyed as a little bow now sat perched right above the Nightmare's ear.

It was just as ridiculous looking as Sutton had imagined.

Pitch noticed her little guffaw as well; his eyes wide and angry and confused as he tried to make sense of what had happened.

_"Imagination_ ," he murmured under his breath, and then his gaze shot up to her in furious understanding.

"You're the Guardian of Imagination."

Sutton could hardly keep up with his displays of emotion, because then his face was peeling back in a ferocious grin.

"Oh, how lovely! That explains so  _much_. How lucky that you should wander into  _my_  lair."

The sure to follow rant about how much they could work together, after all imagination could be a particularly good fuel for fear, was thankfully interrupted by a sudden commotion. Sutton startled as the cavern was filled with noise and a flurry of movement. Pushing herself to her feet, Sutton peered between the cage bars and grinned hopefully at what she saw.

The Guardians were barreling towards them and Pitch yanked forcefully on the reins as the Nightmare bucked beneath him. He hissed through his teeth once again, seemed to come to an internal decision, and disappeared into the shadows. Sutton glared after him briefly before turning back to examine The Guardians. All of them had shown up and Sutton was impressed by their cohesive haste. They must have been wary of taking any chances when it came to Pitch after the events of the film. And she only assumed it was after the events of the film because of the presence of Jack Frost.

Bunnymund hurled a few egg bombs after the villain, but Pitch was already long gone. Sutton realized that a six foot tall rabbit was a bit more intimidating than you'd think.

The others were quickly checking to make sure Pitch had left, and Sutton watched as her dragon swam over to her, circled her once, and then disappeared.

"Oh, great! You guys made it! I could use a little help here."

Five gazes landed on her and Sutton waved awkwardly. At seeing her age, and the fact that she was in a hanging prison perhaps, their gazes turned shocked.

"You can see us," North said in his thick Russian accent. "You are a believer?"

"But-but she's  _old_ ," Bunny exclaimed while throwing out his paws in exasperation.

_"Hey!"_

Tooth, bless her, actually flew up and began trying to open the cage.

"Don't worry," she said cheerfully, "we'll get you out! Pitch isn't strong enough to try and take us on right now!"

It didn't take Tooth long to get the door open, and she gently lowered Sutton to the ground before releasing her. Sutton gave a little stretch as she found herself circled by five different characters that she really hadn't thought about since she was ten years old.

"Thanks," she said. "I couldn't get that door opened for some reason. Maybe I have to obey your physics or something? I don't know. I haven't really figured much out."

Sandy the Sandman hopped up a bit, pointing to his head, and Sutton watched as golden sand made a picture of the little dragon she'd sent to them and then watched as he pointed towards her with his head cocked in confusion.

"Oh, yeah. I sent that little guy over to get your help! I'm glad it worked!"

"You can see us?  _All_  of us?"

Oh gosh, that was Chris Pine's voice.

_He's only, what? Eighteen?_

Just her luck.

"Hey, Jack," she made it a point to make eye contact briefly with him. "I can, in fact, see you as well."

He was cuter in flesh than he was as an animated character, and Sutton reminded herself once more and very adamantly that he was not really quite an adult.

He blinked rapidly at her eye contact and sucked in a couple sharp breaths.

"How?"

Sutton shrugged, stalling for time and for a semi believable excuse.

"Well, circumstances have occurred that...well, you could say that they've opened up my views on the universe. After some of the things I've been through, the existence of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny aren't exactly mind blowing. You are all a bit different than what I imagined as a kid, I'll admit. Especially you," she eyed the tooth fairy. "But your feathers are absolutely stunning."

Tooth giggled and spun in the air in a flash of color to show off in the available light.

"Thank you!

"Wait a second," Bunny interrupted in irritation. "Who  _are_  you?"

Sutton stopped admiring Tooth's wings and ducked her head down.

"Oh, right, sorry. I'm Sutton. Hello!"

Jack hopped up and perched on his wooden staff and gazed at her with an inquisitive look.

"What would Pitch want with you? A human girl?"

Above Sandy's head a female figure appeared followed by a question mark.

"Sandy has point," North nodded. He crossed his arms and stroked his stark white beard with a free hand. "Is girl who can summon dream dragon all human?"

Five gazes were back on her and Sutton shifted her weight between feet.

"Well, hey, not to change the subject; but do you think we could take this conversation above ground?"

That, at least, proved to be a momentary distraction. Above ground, Sutton squinted against the bright sunlight. They were still in the woods, but North's sleigh was parked not but a few feet away. It was sleek and sports car-like, with fins and gadgets and accompanied by a team of reindeer. Sutton eyed it all while maintaining a cool disposition.

"Ok, that's pretty cool."

The Guardians, save for Bunny, climbed into the back of the sleigh. North shrugged as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"Everybody loves the sleigh."

Bunny laughed scathingly and eyed the vehicle with distaste.

"Not everyone, mate. I'll just meet you at the Pole."

No one tried to stop him when he thumped his foot on the ground twice and then jumped down into the portal it created.

Sutton opted for the sleigh.

 


	7. Oneshot - Camelot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This oneshot is based off a request from wellsee21. They wanted to see Sutton and Loki in Camelot with a case of mistaken identity, so here it is!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Hope this entertains. I didn't plan on it being so long, but it sort of got away from me.
> 
> Also, if you are a history buff or super into Arthurian legend, I apologize now. I took little things here and there and dropped it in, but I am in no way accurate in this thing.

"Now you've done it!"

Sutton rolled twice on rough soil before scrambling back up on her feet. Loki stood;  _of course he wouldn't have trouble sticking the landing_ , and glared down at her.

"This is not anywhere near my own realm. Why must you constantly interfere?"

Sutton glared up at him, one brow raised and her lips slightly parted.

"Excuse me?" She rested her hands on her hips and put her weight on one leg. "You're trying to blame this on me? You kidnapped me! You're the one who was trying to jump universes!"

"It is your ability and scattered thoughts that sent us astray," Loki hissed. "And I believe 'rescuing you' would be a more fitting term. A thank you wouldn't be remiss."

She rolled her eyes.

"The day I thank you for anything is the day that the world ends."

Loki didn't have a chance to respond though, because there was suddenly the audible thunder of hooves and Sutton whirled back around to see a trio of men on horses approaching them quickly. They shone bright with the sun's reflection and Sutton could make out capes billowing at their backs. She hesitatingly hedged closer towards Loki despite her better judgment.

"Maybe now would be a good time for you to zap us out of here?"

Loki was eying the horsemen with a twisting smirk, his stance loose and uncaring.

"Well, you are the one who brought us here," he said. "Perhaps we should stay awhile. It would be rude to leave so quickly."

Sutton gasped and clenched her fists.

"Are you serious? I told you I didn't do it!"

The rumble of the horses was joined by the beasts' panting breaths and a shouted greeting from one of the unknown men.

"Good morrow!"

Sutton shot a glance to Loki, widened her eyes in an angry stare and jerked her head towards the new trio. Loki smiled pleasantly back at her and remained mute.

"Um, hello?"

The three men upon their horses appeared to be knights, if Sutton were brave enough to garner a guess. They wore clean tunic looking garments and chain mail over that. Swords were strapped to their sides and fortunately remained sheathed, and their horses carried a couple of packs each as though they'd been traveling. Their faces were easily seen because they were riding without their helmets on, and they looked a bit windswept with tousled hair and ruddy faces. The one who had spoken was smiling down at her and Loki. Sutton decided that he was the leader until proven otherwise. And drat it if his smile wasn't charming despite the fact that he was a stranger and could behead her at any moment. His bright eyes and flaxen hair helped add to his appeal as well.

"Might I ask what a maiden and her companion are doing in open country without supply or company? And... beg your pardon, why in such little dress?"

The other two men were working to evade eye contact and blushing lightly. Sutton glanced down at her outfit. It was just a pair of tweed pants in riding boots with a linen top. (Really one of the better outfits she'd gotten so far in her miserable adventures. At least in this one she could move.) As far as she was concerned all her important and inappropriate bits were covered modestly, but then again, it wasn't a dress.

_Gasp! They could see the shape of her legs! Oh, the humiliating horror!_

"These are my, er, traveling clothes?" She looked to Loki but he still offered nothing. Instead he sharply judged the three men before them and schemed. She could see him thinking behind those emerald eyes.

"And, um, further, my, uh, company? Well, they were, attacked? Unfortunate really, no, I mean, terrifying! And we're the only two left. We've been trying to find the nearest city since then."

"A maiden in trouble!" The man sat even straighter on his horse and put a first over his heart. "Tell me, were you traveling to Camelot, for it is the closest city to here."

Sutton could feel the air leave her lungs as she forced out an entire exasperated breath.

"Right, why not," she muttered. "Because I'm Guinevere and he's Merlin and of course we're trying to get to Camelot."

"Then it is fortunate that we spotted you, Lady Guinevere! For it is our oath to help any maiden in need. I am Sir Lancelot of the Lake, Knight of King Arthur himself with a seat at his Round Table. With me travel Sir Percival and Sir Tristan, also Knights of the Round Table. We are at your behest."

He jumped off his horse, all muscle and solidity, and placed a kiss on her hand with a bow. Heat rose into Sutton's face as her tongue thickened.

"Wh-wait, I, um, I didn't mean that I was really-"

The man Lancelot had introduced as Sir Percival laughed lightly in his saddle and gave a kick to his horse to turn it around.

"Cease your flagrant  _chivalry_ , Lancelot, and come. If it truly is Merlin with this Lady Guinevere, then the King will surely would want to meet with him. It has been long since the sorcerer has visited Camelot."

Loki bowed now, the first reaction he'd graced the men with the entire time. Sutton wondered if they'd even noticed or had been too preoccupied with her in trousers.

"Of course," Loki said. "Who would I be to deny King Arthur?"

"You can't really be going along-"

"Lady Guinevere will need a horse, naturally. She has had no choice but to walk on foot this entire way, and I fear soon she may grow faint."

"I am perfectly fine!"

Sir Lancelot held out a hand and distracted her with another smile.

"Of course I can give the lady a ride into Camelot. You can of course ride as well, Merlin."

At that Loki gave the knight a closed lipped smile and tilted his head downwards.

"Ah, I believe I will use my own means to get to the city, thank you. I will await you at the gates."

Sutton scowled and took one step forward.

"What do you think you're-"

Loki's form suddenly darkened to black, twisting and churning like a violent shadow until it once again took shape and a raven was in his place. He was flapping rapidly to maintain his place in the air and cawed at them once before taking higher to the sky and gliding away.

The three knights had gone silent.

"By the king, that truly is Merlin," breathed Sir Tristan.

Sutton couldn't help the flat, unamused expression that graced her face.

_That better not have been an ability he got after meeting her. She was going to kick herself._

"Lady Guinevere, if you are ready…."

Lancelot's hand was once again open for her and Sutton found she didn't have much of a choice at the moment. She gave a little, awkward smile and let her hand fall into his.

"Right."

She attempted to lift a foot to put in the stirrup, but suddenly there were hands at her waist and she was lifted off the ground and placed in the front of the saddle.

"Whoa! Hey! A little warning next time, huh?"  
"Many apologies, Lady Guinevere."

Lancelot launched himself up into the saddle behind her and reached around her for the reigns. The chain mail was slightly warmed and it seeped through her linen shirt to her skin. Sutton felt her face grow hot again and she made sure to keep particularly still where she sat.

It was not a long ride to the gates of Camelot, but it was long enough for Lancelot and his fellow knights to try and keep up conversation. She tried to keep mum or vague on most things, especially on how she knew "Merlin", and especially since she was a bit unknowledgeable about this time period in general. She knew the basic legend of King Arthur; knew enough to realize claiming to be Guinevere was a dumb idea, sarcasm or no.

At the gates Loki stood waiting, hands clasped loosely behind his back and grinning. It made Sutton's eye twitch, but how threatening could she really be when she was cuddled under a gleaming, happy knight whose chin she still didn't reach while sitting? Still, she scowled at him as they passed and she thought the knights weren't looking.

_You are so dead,_ she mouthed as he smirked up at her.  _I'll imagine you-_

But the horse had passed Loki then and she was only able to glimpse under Lancelot's arm as he wiggled his fingers in a wave at her.

The gates were open and they gave access to a bustling, protected inner city. People obviously recognized the men as they rode in and greeted them with happy cheers. Sutton sunk down further between Lancelot's arms. She could feel his chest rumble gently as he chuckled.

"Worry not, Lady Guinevere. I am sure the king will understand your circumstance and provide the necessities for you until your father can send for you."

Sutton's head jerked up, knocking against Lancelot's chest as her eyes widened.

"My father?"

"Of course. You are Lady Guinevere, daughter of King Leodegrance. No doubt he will be worried about your travels."

"But, you never-"

"I did not address your station for fear that perhaps your companion was not who you claimed him to be. A maiden in distress is bound to confess whatever she must in the name of safety."

An unseen frown tugged at Sutton's mouth.

"And yet you continue to believe that I am Guinevere. Why would you accept that without proof?"

"Lady Guinevere is said to be a great beauty, and also, I see no way this would profit you if you were to lie and be caught."

Sutton tried to twist in the saddle to better see Lancelot's face.

"That's the thing, though, I'm not-"

"Quite ready, Lady Guinevere?" Loki seemed to phase into existence and grinned knowingly at her. His next sentence was laced with double meaning. "It's not polite to keep kings waiting."

He held out a hand delicately to help her dismount and the muscles in Sutton's arm seized. Seconds beyond what was probably appropriate ticked by before Sutton finally gripped his hand. His skin was cool but his grip was firm. She made it to solid ground without making a fool of herself. The two other knights dismounted their horses and took Lancelot's horse as well to hand over to a stable boy for boarding.

"Come." Lancelot smiled and gestured towards the castle doors. "I have no doubt that King Arthur will greet you both warmly. He has missed your council, good sorcerer." He gave Loki's arm a squeeze and Sutton was amazed to find that Loki allowed it, at least for the time being. "And the court will want to make sure you are properly dressed, and comfortable of course, before meeting the king, dear lady."

Lancelot held out an arm for her and Sutton took it in order to tuck herself away further from Loki. She shot him another look for good measure and it ricocheted off him as it had before.

Some lady servants were summoned and they indeed made sure that she was fit to meet the king. Her pants and blouse disappeared before she'd realized it and she was stuffed into a dress worthy of the court. It hung close to her in a deep burgundy with long wide sleeves and a delicate golden belt. Sutton wondered if she should practice curtsying a few times while still in private. But after her hair was pinned in place and her cheeks rouged she was escorted back to Lancelot and Loki who were waiting before the main courtroom doors.

Sutton flushed again and clenched a fist as their gazes landed on her. Lancelot was beaming, though she saw his eyes flicker over her lacking form, and Loki's eyes merely danced in amusement at her discomfort.

"You look lovely, Lady Guinevere," Lancelot said. "Truly a beauty to grace Camelot."

Sutton lifted one eyebrow and tilted her head down.

"Does that work on every girl you use it on, Sir Lancelot?"

He laughed and put a hand to his heart.

"My lady, you do me a dishonor! On my honor as a knight, I can speak only the truth."

Sutton turned her head to roll her eyes, but accepted Lancelot's arm when he offered it.

It was then that a servant proclaimed that the king would see them now and grandly pushed open the doors. Sutton's stomach dropped. The court was not empty, there were other nobles milling about the room, but at the front of the room sat a throne and on the throne, King Arthur.

He was obviously a fighting king, tall and rugged. In contrast to Lancelot his hair was dark and gaze more serious, but she still saw the look he spared her as she entered. Unfortunately Lancelot handed her off to Loki in order to greet the king. She put her arm stiffly through Loki's and tried to let it hover a bit so as not to touch.

"You seem to have caught both their eyes enough, Lady Guinevere," Loki said. The continued amusement was apparent in his voice and he pulled his arm up so she was forced to touch him. Sutton grit her teeth.

"I don't see why. I don't have any delusions of being a great beauty."

Loki hummed quietly.

"Well you have clean skin and all your teeth, they can't ask for much else."

Sutton's voice lowered.

"And all the fangirls think you're a such a charmer. Too bad I can't inform them of the disappointment."

"Oh, Sutton." Loki's voice was dangerously deep and he skimmed the fingers of the opposite hand over her arm. "If I were truly trying to charm you, you would know it."

She tried to jerk her arm away but he only tightened his hold.

"Try is the appropriate term," she said, "because your efforts would fail spectacularly. I already know you too well."

"If telling yourself that gives you peace, darling."

Sutton actually was relieved when Lancelot and Arthur ended their greeting and turned their attention back to her and Loki. Arthur rose from his throne and Sutton attempted a clumsy curtsey.

"Your majesty."

_That's what they always said in the medieval movies, wasn't it?_

Arthur bowed back.

"My lady. And this is the man who claims to be Merlin?"

And here Sutton saw the skepticism in Arthur's eyes. He stood a distance from Loki, who Sutton was unfortunately still arm and arm with, and gave the god of mischief a once over.

"If you are truly Merlin," he said, "then time has been exceedingly good to you. The last I saw you, you had a beard that was quite fair."

Sutton wished that this would be a sort of stumbling block for Loki, but given the fact that he'd been alive so long and looked less than concerned did not hint at that happening. Loki gave him a grin.

"Arthur, you fail to fully grasp the workings of magic still. Was it not I that put Excalibur in stone that could be lifted by none but the one true king? How much more would it be to alter my appearance?"

"All words any man could speak."

" _'_ _No man fears to kneel before the God he trusts. Without faith, without belief in something, what are we?'_  Did you not say that to me once?"

Ice spread through Sutton's stomach as she watched Arthur's face split into a grin. Loki released her as Arthur greeted Loki with an embrace.

"Merlin, my old friend! I must say, this look suits you well."

Sutton stood to the side and marveled at Loki allowing a mortal to touch him. It must have been a worthy sacrifice for the sake of the joke in his opinion. In that moment Sutton couldn't decide whether she was between a rock or a hard place. Surely when the truth that she wasn't Guinevere was revealed, they would want her punished or killed. But if Loki truly found her useful he couldn't allow that to happen. And that left her forced to leave with him at his will to be at his mercy.

Either way, he held all the cards and it chafed.

Sutton felt a few muscles loosen as she remained off the arm of a man. But the universe was determined to give her an ulcer before the month was up for Arthur approached and bowed to kiss her hand himself.

"I deeply regret that you had such troubles on your journey here," he said. "If I had known of your impending arrival, I would have sent men to better patrol the boarders."

"The messenger must have gotten lost," Sutton said with a strained smile.

**[]**

Arthur called for an impromptu feast that evening in her and Loki's honor. She was fidgety as she sat at the end of the high table; as apparently she one of the guests of honor. The room was arranged with tables in the shape of a 'u'. The one she occupied was raised above the others and at it sat Arthur, some of his knights and nobles on one side and Loki and her on the other. She was actually at the end of the table, next to Loki. And although that in itself was unsettling, she was mostly concerned with how she was going to handle whatever food they presented to her. It would obviously be rude to decline anything, and she was supposed to be used to these types of foods and drinks anyway.

She followed Loki's lead in proper behavior as a prayer was said a bowl of water was used for hand washing. And then came the food and drink. Arthur seemed to spare nothing in his demonstration of hospitality and wealth. There were wines and liquors which Sutton pretended to sip and plates and plates of food. There were hot soups, roasted boar, fish, candied fruits, cheese, sweet breads with butter and all of it laid out on the table in fantastic display. They would eat a course and then be entertained by some poet or dancer before diving in for another plate. Sutton made sure to only take small portions of the safest looking foods. But it didn't take her long to become swept up in the experience of being a guest at a banquet hosted by King Arthur.

There was something other worldly about it. Sutton had never particularly cared for the medieval ages, or whatever ages this counted as. It always seemed dirty and disease ridden, with odd foods and oppressed peoples. But she couldn't deny that this was the experience of a life time, and being rich and important definitely made life here more bearable.

Several historians probably would have murdered her for a chance at this; and been much more convincing in it too.

By the time the banquet came to an end, Sutton was exhausted and full beyond comfort. Her stomach had shrunk considerably during her universe hopping, and she wasn't quite used to such rich foods. A headache was dancing around the edges of her skull from music and conversation, and the fact that she'd had to take a couple drags of the drinks offered to her to stop the questioning stares from the servants pouring them.

Arthur had previously ordered that rooms be prepared for Loki and herself, and Sutton looked forward to collapsing in a bed of even a little comfort. She really looked forward to a few hours alone too, even if most of them were going to be spent unconscious.

Arthur helped escort them both to their rooms, while with an accompanying party of course. Sutton wasn't sure if that was customary or not, but he was doing it regardless. He continued to tell the story of how he'd come by Merlin and pulled Excalibur from the stone and met the Lady of the Lake. Despite being so tired, he earned a few laughs from Sutton and he seemed proud for it. Blessedly they finally arrived at the door to her room for the night and Sutton sagged and smiled as she saw it.

"Well," she turned to face Arthur again, "thank you very much for dinner tonight. It was exquisite. But if you don't mind I think I'll hit the hay now, because I'm about to fall asleep standing up."

Loki raised a brow at her bluntness but Sutton only shot him a quick bland look before giving a quick sheepish smile to Arthur.

"A woman who does not tremble after being raided by bandits and takes no time with mincing words; yours must be a strong kingdom indeed."

"Is there any other way to be?"

She was followed into the room by two chambermaids who helped her out of the dress and into a decently warm nightgown. It was absolute misery when the open air hit her skin.

Sutton would not romanticize the time she was in. Even though it was as nice of a room as one could get, it was still no Hilton suite. The room was chilled and damp despite the fire and Sutton could have sworn she saw something bury itself under the mattress. Still, she crawled into the bed and the maids turned the blanket down around her before pulling out straw mats and situating themselves on the floor. Sutton sat back up and peered down at them.

"Wait, is that where you're sleeping?"

The room was cold and the floor was hard! The maids looked startled and a bit worried as they obediently responded to her.

"Of course, your majesty. We'll be able to wake and prepare you for the day come morn'."

Sutton was pulling back the sheets and bedding before the two ladies could protest.

"That's not fair. You can't be comfortable down there."

"It's not a concern, your majesty-"

"Yes it is! Come on, this bed is big enough for all of us."

They protested again, but Sutton would have none of it. She wanted to sleep and she wouldn't be able to knowing that two people helping her would be sleeping in what she considered miserable circumstances.

"I won't get an ounce of sleep unless you do," she said. "And then no amount of coffee will be able to save my mood. Besides, it's cold and it'll be warmer if we're all up here."

They relented probably fearing insulting her more than anything else. And it did help raise the temperature to have two extra heat sources in the bed. Sutton curled into herself at one end of the bed and smiled sleepily.

"See? So much better than the floor."

She heard a quiet, happy sigh that she might not have been meant to hear.

"Indeed, your majesty. Quite so."

The next morning she was awoken much too early. Sutton couldn't exactly tell the time, but she knew that her eyes were still crusted over and heavy. She felt like death and her breath was inexcusable. If Loki refused to teleport them somewhere more modern today, she was just going to breathe in his face at any given opportunity.

She'd see how quickly he changed his mind about this game then.

The chambermaids seemed far too chipper for the hour, and friendlier than they had been last night. There was a bowl of cold water for her to rinse her face off with and then they partially ruined her bad breath plan when they offered her a linen cloth with a fresh scented paste on top. Sutton had, admittedly, at first hesitated with uncertainty of what this cloth was for, but one of the maids commented that once she was finished with her teeth they could dress her.

She hadn't known they actually cared about teeth this far in the past, but she quickly began rubbing the cloth over her teeth and decided not complain. She rather liked her teeth and would prefer to keep them if she could.

This time they dressed her in a long-sleeved gold under shirt with a dark emerald over-dress on top. The color combination was unsettling.

"Oh, I don't usually wear these colors." She tried to sound casual as she could, and one of the chambermaids started on her hair as she spoke.

"My apologies if it displeases you, majesty. But it is the only other dress in… your size. I can have the royal seamstress spok-"

"No, no. It's- it's lovely. I just don't really own dresses like this."

The maid's voice rose in what sounded like an attempt to be reassuring.

"You look lovely in it, majesty."

"Thank you."

_Of course this would be the only dress that fit. Of course it would be these colors. Of course she didn't buy it as coincidence for one second._

Sutton found that breakfast wasn't exactly a normal practice for people in this time, and she tried to remind herself that she wasn't going to starve if she had to wait to eat. Instead she was brought out to rejoin her host and his other guests. At this point Sutton wasn't sure what was acceptable time period practice or fairytale allotted leeway. It was irrelevant, though, because Loki would get them out of this mess today. She would make him. It was his fault they were in it, after all.

Arthur, Lancelot, Loki and whatever other nobles this castle held were lingering about the lawn. They all appeared to be dressed ready to ride and Sutton wondered if she'd be left alone with some noble women to poorly attempt to embroidery a handkerchief.

Arthur and Lancelot both smiled when she approached and Sutton felt slightly queasy. Loki looked entirely too innocent which only confirmed her suspicions about the dress.

"Lady Guinevere, you are as radiant as a morning sunbeam."

"Your majesty." She bent her head slightly and dipped at the knees in a lazy curtsy. "I can see now that your friendly disposition is certainly not an act. No one can fake cheer so sincerely this early in the morning."

Lancelot and Arthur looked to each other in shock before bursting out into laughter.

"I take it then," said Lancelot, "that you don't find mornings agreeable."

"I find only that they are necessary."

_Oh crap. She was doing it again, mimicking speech patterns. Dang it, this happened every time she read a Jane Austen novel or watched any period film. It was so embarrassing._

"I daresay we should take her with us for the morning ride." Lancelot accepted the reins for the horse that a servant had brought out. The others were given horses as well and Sutton was glad to see that Loki was given a plain brown one instead of an inky black. "We'd never be lacking in amusement."

A horse was brought out for her as well, although Sutton had tried to quietly protest. It seemed rude to try and decline their company, but she'd never actually ridden a horse herself and knew she'd end up killing herself trying it. They helped her into the saddle, and she was relieved when they didn't expect her to ride side. And then the horse was trotting behind the others and Sutton was gripping the reins with white knuckles and quaking knees hidden by the folds of her dress. Loki pulled his horse up alongside hers and cooed.

"What disturbs you, Lady Guinevere? Have you not been instructed in horseback?"

Sutton tried to yank the reins so that the horse would pull to the right, and away from Loki, but she either did something wrong or the horse ignored her. She hissed in reply.

"I know that you're responsible for the dress. It's really not that funny."

"The colors suit you."

Red threatened to take over her vision because if there were ever a way to say ' _kneel'_  without using the actual word, he'd just done it.

"Lady Guinevere!" King Arthur proved to be a distraction as he galloped back to meet her and noticed her clenched fists. "Are you uncomfortable with horseback? You look flushed."

Sutton tried to adjust the reins again but the horse continued on without a flinch.

"I'm afraid I don't have a knack for it," she said. "I'm not exactly confident in my abilities."

Sir Lancelot was quick to join them and Sutton noticed Loki frown at the crowd that had reformed.

_Good, served him right._

"You should have said something, Lady Guinevere," Lancelot said. "You could have ridden more comfortably with one of us!"

Sutton recalled riding with Lancelot the day before and determined that it had, indeed, been more pleasant. Loki seemed annoyed by the turn the discussion had taken, and Sutton could only speculate that it was because she was getting much more positive attention than he'd initially anticipated. She was actually holding her own decently well and hadn't yet been sentenced to death for impersonating royalty or insulting the king. So, she decided to go with it. She sniffed daintily and tried to look sheepish.

"Well, of course, I didn't want to appear too bold. Perhaps if I had been invited…."

Arthur's grin was probably meant to be partially alluring and altogether goodnatured, and Sutton didn't stop herself from smiling back.

"Here," he said. He gently took the reins from her white-knuckled grip and added them to his own. "You can grip the horse's hair, and I will make sure he doesn't get away from you."

The situation made Sutton's horse decidedly close to Arthur's. She smiled shyly.

"Thank you; you're too kind."

Loki huffed in irritation and pulled his horse away. Sutton counted that as a small victory for her at least.

"It would seem, Lady Guinevere, that you are at least bold enough to trifle with one man while wearing the colors of another."

"Merlin!"

Sutton felt her attention snap to the argument offered up to her. Loki might usually catch her off guard, but she'd been plotting the winning phrases for this previously imaginary debate since they'd slipped the dress on her.

"I feel sorry for you that you come from a place where manners are considered idle flattery. And if at any moment you'd like to use whatever magic you have to change the color of this dress, go ahead. While I didn't know you had a monopoly on green and gold, I'd rather avoid any confusion of the sort. Believe me, that is the last thing I want."

"You must forgive Merlin," Arthur cut in. "I believe he worries that any woman, eligible or otherwise seeks out only my station. I'm sure his intentions were pure, if not tactful."

Sutton snorted through her nose in an unladylike manner.

"I'm sure you're right. If it makes you feel any better, though, I don't have any interest in ruling your kingdom. It takes quite a lot of work, and then you have to deal with all the uprisings and those tend to be such a banquet killer."

Her sarcasm in this instance was actually understood and she was grateful for that.

"I don't believe that I've ever met a more honest woman in my life," Lancelot said. "Surely, though, as a king's daughter you can see yourself running your own household just fine."

"Well, my own house, sure. But I've found that you have to rise much to early when attempting to overthrow other kingdoms. It's just not worth it in my book; wouldn't you agree,  _Merlin?_  Trying to take over already established and stable kingdoms is just folly?"

She could see Loki cut his eyes at her and then he jerked his horse harshly around to face them.

"As it is  _folly_  to forget what god you are subject to. I bore of this game; perhaps it is time to go."

Sutton could practically feel confusion radiate from Arthur and Lancelot. Loki's abrupt mood change was decidedly un-Merlin like, and for some reason she felt embarrassment crawl up her under her skin. She pulled on the horse's hair instinctively as she flushed and glared at him.

"Don't touch me."

Loki's grew a wicked grin.

"A bit of fond attention and now you want to stay. Perhaps I should start trying to compliment you if it makes you so malleable."

Sutton lowered her head and voice in warning.

"Loki."

"Loki?"

"Lady Guinevere-"

But Sutton could already feel Loki's magic crackling in the air around them and her heart beat faster in her chest. He galloped up on his horse and Sutton clutched the horse's mane tighter.

"Don't you dare do it!"  
His arm shot out and snagged her around the waist, and then they were flying off the horses, out of Camelot, and into the space between spaces.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed Sutton's little non-canon adventure with Loki, the cad! If you feel so inclined, feel free to drop a few words into the review box! Thank you!


	8. Devastation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of the alternate sequel I didn't write.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I've been having a hard time focusing on the actual next chapter, so I tried to write something else a bit instead. This is a continuation of the "Alternate Ending" line. So if you've enjoyed that thread, today's your lucky day! If you've submitted an idea for a oneshot, I haven't forgotten or ignored you! It just takes me awhile to get around to things sometimes!
> 
> Let me know if you like this chapter and seeing the sequel that might have been!

It had been two weeks since Sutton had destroyed an entire world. Two weeks of sitting and seeing a broken city stare back accusingly at her. Two weeks of pounding on the door and demanding more than just the meager meals that kept appearing in her room.

And her head, her head still hurt. After the first week, she'd just tried to imagine that the door was unlocked and almost passed out. It felt like an eternity since she'd seen another face, human or otherwise. Having spent however long in the Nothing hadn't done anything for her perception of time either.

It took until the end of the second week for something to actually happen. Sutton sat cross-legged with her back slumped against the large paned window when the doorknob jiggled, and then the door arched open. Her eyes snapped up to the door, only because the noise it made felt so loud in the silence she'd been wrapped in. Her crying had decreased in sound and quantity after the first week, but only because she was too exhausted to do it anymore.

Sutton's entire body tensed as a familiar tall figure sauntered through the door. He had the nerve to smile at her. Sitting she watched as he spread his arms wide and crooned.

"My dear girl, you are invaluable."

There were too many words in her head to say to him; she didn't know which to pick. At the moment anything she threatened would be empty and useless. When she did finally manage to speak, her voice was gravelly and hoarse from lack of use and constant crying.

"I won't help you again. I'm going to find a way to fix this."

"I really doubt you'll be doing much of anything anytime soon. I wasn't quite sure you were going to make it after your brilliant readjustment of this world."

Sutton glared at him and staggered to her feet. Her body felt heavy and her eyes burned, but she still pushed herself up and straightened her shoulders as much as she was able.

"Where are they?"

Loki arched an eyebrow clasped his hands behind his back.

"Am I to assume you mean the heroes which you so quickly betrayed?"

An actual physical pain spasmed through her chest and Sutton grit her teeth and blinked rapidly. He calmly waited for her to collect herself as if he didn't have an entire planet he was conquering.

"I want to see them."

Loki tsked then and began to pace around the room, Sutton stayed rooted where she was mainly because they hadn't been feeding her enough for her to do otherwise. She refused to turn and watch him as he passed in front of the wide paneled windows.

"I'm afraid you can't. I believe it was your own creativity that had them all imprisoned separately. As it is, there is only one in this building and you're in no state to be making demands. I don't see why I should let you have a social visit anyway."

"Let me see Tony." It was all too obvious which would be here. She was in a skyscraper in the middle of the city, and it was a well made building that had been stripped of anything useful. Which other Avenger would really be kept here? How much more humiliating would it be to be not only defeated, but held prisoner in your own building?

Loki tilted his head to look down at her. She couldn't tell if he was mocking or amused.

"Give me a good reason why I should."  
"Because what else could I possibly do?"

She had meant to come off as cool, collected, rational even. But as the words poured out of her mouth her emotions erupted with them and her eyes grew hot again like she hadn't believed they could.

"I already destroyed an entire planet for you! You won! And-and I can't do anything about it right now. I'm human and mortal and what could I possibly do to fight you, huh? I just want to talk to him!"

For a moment, Loki didn't move. He let her simmer in the silence that her words evaporated into. And then he smiled coldly.

"Indeed, Sutton. You have done well. And I suppose, as a benevolent ruler, that I should show that obedience and service will be rewarded. I will grant your request to see your fallen hero."

He kept his word about that at least.

After their discussion, Loki had left claiming business to attend to. Though the way he'd left with a  _'do get well...and soon'_ did nothing to calm her frazzled nerves. She was shortly escorted by two violently blue-eyed attendants out of her prison cube and into the main building. They wouldn't speak to her, matter what sort of question she asked, and silently led her to an elevator. They rode it down a few floors before exiting and traveling down a series of hallways. She could hardly breath her heart was racing so fast as they stopped in front of a secured door.

"We will be back to get you when Master Loki deems your visit finished."

Sutton couldn't find it in herself to be mad at the two. The state of their eyes told her enough, so although the comment grated, she stopped from lashing out at them.

"I understand."

And then they opened the doors.

It was the moment she had to walk past the threshold that terror seized her. The thought of seeing Tony's face after everything she'd done, it was the scariest thing she'd had to face yet. And he would know it was her doing. He would have to know.

He would hate her.

He probably never wanted to see her again! He'd scream at her, tell her it was all her fault; he would never want to see her again. And he wouldn't even be in the wrong. Sutton could feel the last meal she'd been given churn in her stomach. But she couldn't go back now. If nothing else, she at least owed the Avengers an apology. And she would give it to them. Even if she had to do it one team member at a time.

Her footsteps were timid as she made her way into the room. It was quiet and she wasn't able to see Tony at all yet. He had a bigger space than she did and it wasn't a square room. A hall twisted to the right and opened up again into another room. Sutton swallowed and forced herself down the hall. There were more windows in the second room. Large and pristinely clean and facing the city. Just like hers. Her heart stopped for a moment as she finally spotted Tony. His back was to her and he was staring silently out the windows at the mess of buildings below.

"I've said it before, if you're not leaving food get out of here."

Sutton's left hand balled into a fist. He still hadn't turned to look at her and now her tongue was dry and thick. She didn't want him to look at her. She stayed frozen at the entrance to the room and tried to loosen her jaw.

"Tony."

He turned then and looked at her and his face was filled with such open confusion that Sutton felt all the bravery she'd told herself to have disappear. Her chest heaved with choked back sobs once again.

"Tony, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean- I tried to- I'm so, so sorry!"

Her knees were buckling beneath her and she leaned against one of the walls for support. It seemed like she couldn't stop the chant of  _'I'm sorry'_ , as if that alone could atone for what she'd done if she just said it enough. Tony's eyes widened and he rushed over to her, gripping her shoulders and easing her onto the floor where he sat next to her.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. Stop; stop crying. Everything's fine."

Sutton shot him a look of insulted self-loathing.

"No it isn't! Nothing is ok! And it's all my fault! And I can't even do anything about it!"

That Tony was flustered was clear. He didn't exactly know what to do with his hands and was obviously struggling to find the right words. He patted her twice on the shoulder before he decided to just leave his hand there and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Why don't we start with simple things," he said. "What's your name and what do you think you did?"

Sutton froze completely beneath his touch and she stared at him with a new horror. She felt sick all over again.

"M-my name? Tony, you know me."  
He gave her a look then that was very much like a Tony who had not just lost a war.

"I mean, I don't think even I usually go that young. But look, I can't remember the name of every girl-"

"No! I mean it's me, Sutton! You and the Avengers, we all... Are you telling me you don't remember me at all?"

Tony released his hand on her shoulder and leaned back against the wall himself.

"Sutton? Well, what I'm telling you is that I've never met you before in my life."

That last bit of hope she'd been harboring, that hope that said even if the Avengers hated her they could still help figure this out, was cruelly ripped from her. She crumbled further, curling tightly into herself as she fought back an enraged scream. Her fist hit the wall with as much force as she could muster and she couldn't hold back a short angry yell.

"He thinks I can't do it; but I am going to absolutely ruin everything he thinks he gained! I don't care if my brain tears itself in half, I'm going to do it!"

Tony seemed startled and mildly concerned by her outburst, but her words sank in quickly.

"Ah, so you met Mr. High and Mighty. Well, if you got thrown in here for anarchy, then you're alright in my books. So, what'd you do? Leak information to the rebellion? Plant a bomb in headquarters?"

Sutton was trembling and she wasn't sure if it was from anger or hurt or guilt.

"No," she said. "I did something far worse. I'm the one who destroyed the world."

 


	9. Oneshot - AU - You Stole My Pencil!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This little oneshot is definitely not canon! I just saw a list of AU prompt and decided to go for one. It's a bit different than what I've posted here so far! Let me know what you think of it!

Sutton glared from the corner of her eye as she scribbled notes with a subpar pencil. She'd lent her good pencil, the one with the nice eraser and outer-space design, to some guy,  _Steve_ , months ago. It was actually her favorite pencil. He'd asked her if she had a spare right as the professor had started the lesson and she'd panicked and gave him the one in her hand. Her cool pencil. The best one. And he'd never given it back. Even know, she could see him  _still_  using it to take down notes. And maybe his hands were just bigger than hers, but it looked significantly smaller than when she'd lent it to him. _Lent._   _Borrow._  He apparently didn't understand the meaning of the words.

He was sitting a row ahead of her and to the left and Sutton huffed in annoyance as she tried to refocus on the lesson. The pencil she was using now was a regular, boring number two. And, as if just to rub salt in the wound, the eraser smeared the graphite instead of doing its stupid job.

The Steve guy tapped the pencil next to his lips and Sutton's eyes widened in horror. He was going to chew it! He better not! That pencil was too cool for bite marks no matter how nice his smile or teeth were!

That was it. She was going to confront him. After class.  _She was!_  She'd walk right up to him and demand that he return her best pencil. Maybe she'd imply that that was her last one? Or that she couldn't buy a new pack if she wanted to do laundry that week? Either way, it was obvious he didn't appreciate that pencil for what it was: the coolest gosh, darn pencil she'd ever owned! (Besides the glitter one from fifth grade, that is.)

Sutton was still trying to give herself a pep-talk as the professor dismissed the class. She watched as the pencil thief stood and packed his bag,  _with her pencil_ , and rose to exit the class.

"Excuse me!"

She hustled and pushed past other students trying to keep up the the guy's long strides. Keeping him in her sights wasn't too difficult, given how he towered over most people. His shock of blond hair helped as well, especially when the sun shone off it like that. Sutton shook her head and picked up the pace.

"Excuse me! Uh, Steve? Hey!"

He paused then, and turned to look and find whoever called out to him. Sutton tried to wave and make herself noticeable above the sea of students.

"Um, over here!"

He spotted her then and quirked an eyebrow before backtracking back over to her. With a gesture, he helped direct her to the side and out of the flow of traffic where it was marginally more peaceful.

"Oh, thanks. Um, yeah. It's, it's Steve, right? I'm Sutton."

He grinned at her and Sutton found her tongue stumbling through words and her face heating up slightly.

"Yeah, you're in Mr. Fredrick's class with me. The one that just got out?"  
Sutton twiddled her fingers forcefully and choked out an awkward laugh.

"Right, yeah.  _Duh._  Actually, I was just, um, you know." She gestured towards him vaguely. Now that the moment was upon her, she felt stupid being obsessive over a pencil when she was supposed to be an adult.  _But it had planets and stars on it! And that great eraser! He was about to chew on it!_

"Well, what I mean is, a few months back,  _you probably don't even remember_ , but I sort of lent you a, um, a pencil? It, it's actually a pretty memorable pencil. It's got, like, planets on it?"

He was grinning at her with a rather mischievous look that flustered Sutton for reasons she'd rather not admit to herself. He might be handsome, and well built, but she hadn't really spoken to him much since this class had started, and the pencil theft was the most interaction they had going. He let out a breathy laugh that made Sutton's gut flutter and her eyes darted past his shoulder.

"I was wondering when you'd ask for it back. I was starting to think maybe you wouldn't."

That caught her attention, and Sutton made eye contact, eyebrows raised.

"Wait. What?"

He rubbed the back of his neck in a very stereotypical romance movie way, and Sutton forced her eyes to remain on his face.

"Well. I sort of thought if I kept it, you'd come talk to me and ask for it back. But you didn't, so I just, sort of, kept it."

Sutton's blush intensified as she shifted all her weight onto one leg.

"Oh."

Steve laughed, sounding a little awkward then himself.

"Yeah. Pretty dumb, actually. I mean-"

"No! I mean, well, it is my coolest pencil, so odds were in your favor. I'm just- I don't. What I mean is, if you want to know of a place to get cool pencils I could give you some recommendations. Over coffee, maybe?"

Steve smiled widely and Sutton couldn't help but respond in kind. His smile was just like sunshine and it made Sutton feel just as warm.

"Funny," he said. "I was just about to ask if you knew a place."

 


	10. Oneshot - Supernatural

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU oneshot - The Winchester brothers run into our universal traveller.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is for Crimson Butterfly and dont.blink.or.youre.dead who both requested Supernatural!
> 
> [Two 'curse words' that I have self censored, just because I thought it was too much part of Dean's character to omit. Hopefully it doesn't offend!]

The wood was dark and cold as Sam and Dean stomped through the brush. The only light came from their flashlights and the only sounds were the snapping of twigs as they moved deeper into the surrounding trees.

"We don't even know what we're looking for," Sam complained. Their search had been going on for a bit over half an hour and they'd hardly seen so much as a raccoon. Dean grunted in reply.

"Cas said whatever it was, it was big; all the angels felt it."

"Yeah, that doesn't help us at all. "It" could be anything. And how are we supposed to find it?"

"We were closest to the epicenter, look, I don't know! You think I wanna be out here right now either?"  
There was a sudden crackling over them, like the sharp splintering of wood, and then a loud crashing followed. A dark mass fell from the tree next to them and Sam cried out in surprise as whatever it was landed on him. Dean already had his gun out and cocked as Sam pushed the shadow off.

"Hey, ow!"

Sam directed the beam of his flashlight at the figure and revealed a small girl blinking at the harsh light. She tried hedging backwards and Dean had been hunting long enough to read the plans of flight in her eyes.

"Don't move," he said.

She froze at the iciness of his tone and stood with shoulders hunched and fingers slightly curled in a way that reminded Dean of a frightened rabbit. It was obvious that she had been out here for a while. Her skin was a bit dirty and scratched, perhaps thanks to her fall, and her hair was a giant mess of curls that looked like they would easily vanquish any brush. Sam stood up and brushed himself off as he kept the light focused on her.

"You're welcome for breaking your fall, by the way."

Dean watched as she blinked in confusion, and then her face melted into something like horrified understanding.

"Oh, oh no." She waved her hands in front of her in a definite 'no' gesture. "Not gonna, I don't mess with-no! I don't want any trouble here, ok? Whatever you two were doing out here, do not involve me."

"Who are you and what are you doing here," Dean asked accusingly.

"Um, these are, like, free woods, right? I was, uh, hiking."

Sam looked down at her and cocked an eyebrow.

"In a tree, in the dark, with no gear, no flashlight, and no jacket?"  
The girl glared but, given the fact that she was at least a foot shorter than both of them, it lost most of its potential impact.

"My hiking practices aren't any of your business. And could you not point that at me? It doesn't exactly make me feel like cooperating with a couple of giant behemoths who are also hiking at night, but with a gun."

Dean did not feel entirely inclined to lower his weapon. Too many experiences had taught him not to trust anyone, even if they looked like they were human; especially if they looked human. At his hesitation, Sam spoke up.

"Hey, look, we don't want trouble either. We're just being cautious same as you."

The girl stared up at him drolly, eyes half lidded and neck craned back. She threw her hands out at her side.

"Yeah, you two better watch out! Wouldn't want to get on my bad side; I might mess you up."

Dean snorted lightly.

"We make it a point not to underestimate anyone; even ankle biters. Now what's your name?"

"Dean," Sam shot his older brother a warning look. "The woods might not be quiet for long."

Dean nodded in understanding and the girl seemed alarmed at the statement.

"Do not involve me in whatever shady business you're conducting! I've already been having enough of a hard time, and you know- you know what, never mind."

She took a steadying breath and then closed her eyes in concentration. When she exhaled, the Winchester brother's flashlights started flickering and then went out.

"Hey!"

There was the sound of crashing branches and stumbling in the darkness as Sam and Dean tried to figure what had happened. A presence behind them suddenly spoke up causing them both to scream and jump in the air.

"It happened again."

"D*** it, Cas! How many times have I told you not do that?"

[][][][][][][][][][]

Later, Dean and Sam shared a look that said they both regretted hunting the girl down and making themselves involved with the mess this had turned into.

"So, let me see if I got this straight." Dean paced the dirty motel room that they'd rented for the night. "She's special, in some way she either can't or won't explain, and if the demons get to her it could be bad?"

"If they get ahold of her, it could mean another apocalypse."

The girl, Sutton, glared at Cas as he spoke in his matter-of-fact way.

"Ok, I'm not a chosen one or anything," she argued. "I am just a normal human being."

"Our flashlights did go out right when you started trying to run," Sam said.

She scoffed in insult.

"It's not my fault if you don't remember to change out old batteries."  
"They weren't old."

"Well you can't prove anything!"

Dean rolled his eyes and pinned her with a look that told her she wasn't fooling anyone.

"You're not helping yourself any."

Cas moved forward and Dean noted how Sutton's lips twisted to the side as she watched the angel move about. Sam was trying to research whatever influence the girl might have, and he looked over his laptop screen at her as he prodded for more information.

"If you could cause another apocalypse, I'm guessing you have more powers than just something electrical or power based."

She crossed her arms petulantly and frowned further.

"I don't even want to be here, ok?"

Avoiding answering questions was her go to strategy, which told them that she did, in fact, know more than she was willing to tell. It was making their lives even more difficult and it was starting to get on Dean's nerves. He might've just left her to fend for herself, like she had obviously wanted, except for Cas insisted that it was imperative a "power that extensive" be protected. And they still didn't know what that power was.

"You get that we're trying to help you, right? I have no problem just leaving you out on your own, but if you're as important as he thinks you are," Dean gestured to Cas, "then you won't last two days out there."

His speech didn't impress her as she continued to stare up at him drolly. She really was small, and he wasn't sure where she stored all the false bravado.

"I've been through enough," she said. "I imagine I'd do just fine."  
She smiled a secretive smile, as if sharing a joke with herself and Dean turned an exasperated look to Sam. Sam just shrugged uselessly, still at his laptop.

"Well if this is the kind of thanks we're going to get, I say we just let Crowley have her."

Cas turned to Dean and frowned seriously.

"That would be a counterproductive move on our part if we wanted to avoid another-"

"Yeah I know, Cas, thanks."

Sam let out a puffy breath of air and frowned at his laptop as if it had disappointed him.

"I'm not finding anything. Were you being honest about your name? Because I'm not finding a Sutton Regan that matches your description on any database."

Dean noticed that the girl paled slightly, though she tried to shake herself out and maintain her confident demeanor.

"Are you hacking into stuff," she deflected. "How are you doing that from a regular laptop?"

Sam looked to Dean for help at being called out. Dean just cocked an eyebrow at him and shrugged, offering no support. Sam stammered.

"Uhh..."

[][][][][][][][][][]

"Oh, that's right, Crowley is Badger."

Dean cut his eyes over at Sutton and didn't bother trying to figure out what she even meant. She said odd things at odd times and he just had to accept that was who she was. Maybe whatever weird power she had messed with her head. Earlier she had called him a 'fricking Disney princess' and Sam a 'moose', and then told them that was all she knew. So at this point nothing that came out of her mouth would surprise Dean. She was a strange kid.

"Face to face with the king of hell and you call him a badger?"

She looked up at him as if he were the weird one.

"Not _a_ bad- oh, never mind."

Crowley held out his arms, palms up, as he drew the focus back onto himself.

"You can call me whatever you want if you just come with me."

Dean refocused, because they were actually in a bit of danger despite how often they found themselves temporarily teaming up with this guy.

"Now," Crowley continued turning to Dean, "I'm going to have to have you hand over the girl."

Next to him, Sutton sighed and pulled at her hair.

"I'm so sick of this universe."

"Yeah, well, it's the only one you've got, so you have to learn to live with it.

Sam nudged Dean from behind and nodded his head behind him.

"Come on, we need to get out of here."

"You have any suggestions on how? 'Cause I think I left my demon blade in my other pants."  
Sutton shifted next to him and her gaze darted around from Crowley to him.

"No you didn't," she said. "I'm pretty sure I saw you grab it."

Dean growled.

"Look, kid, we've dealt with this guy-"

"Yeah," she interrupted. "Super weird, powerful knife, can kill demons. You definitely would have that."

"I don't-"

He felt something then, pressing against his back, and he froze a moment before he tentatively reached back to grab what was shoved in the band of his jeans. His eyes widened when he saw the weapon he had. Crowley tilted his head in dangerous curiosity.

"How the h***?"

Sutton edged back behind Sam, his height was more than enough to conceal her.

"Can we go now?"

"Come on, Squirrel, don't make this weird. You don't even know what to do with her anyway."

Dean really, really, wished he'd just let her run off into the woods that first night. But then again, when had his life ever been easy?

"Unfortunately, Crowley, I can't."

He saw Sutton peak around Sam's back.

"Hey!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry if this doesn't make a lot of sense! I couldn't go too in-depth because I'm not totally sure on the characters/plot lines.


	11. Oneshot - Labyrinth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Here's another oneshot that got away from me! I'd been wanting to do this one, but it'd been so long since I'd actually seen Labyrinth  
> that I had to re-watch it!
> 
> So, this one is for Stereotypical Nobody! Hope everyone thinks it turned out ok!

The spoken word held power, especially so within the world of the Labyrinth. Sutton knew this keenly and it was the reason that she was keeping her lips firmly pressed together. She was more than aware that she had the nasty habit of opening her mouth first and regretting it later. As a young teen it was something she assumed she would grow out of when she grew to be a 'real' adult. The fact that she hadn't was really becoming a thorn in her side. One had to watch what they said when they walked amongst fictional characters.

She had known just what world she'd landed in this time after taking about five steps and noticing that a clump of moss was eying her as warily as she was it. Thick stone walls rose up on either side of her and strewn branches lay down the straight path that led to seemingly nowhere. Sutton sighed, ran a hand through her hair, and continued moving. She'd liked the movie, Labyrinth, as a kid, after overcoming her initial terror of it, and had admired the heroic and noble character that Sarah had become by the end. But that had never made her want to really visit. Yes, Hoggle and Sir Didymus and Ludo all seemed like wonderful friends, but that had never quite shook Sutton's trepidation over the power that the spoken words had. She would have said the wrong thing in Sarah's place. She always said the wrong thing. And so it was one movie that she enjoyed, chuckled over, and then moved on from.

Keeping her right hand against the stone wall, Sutton tried to keep her eyes peeled for any sign of an opening or life form besides the creepy moss. If luck was on her side, she had guessed the right direction and could potentially take a left at the worm and be out of this maze in way less than thirteen hours. Idly, she wondered how far Sarah had made it at this point. Somehow she always was popping up in universes when all the action was going down and she wouldn't be opposed to at least meeting the girl. Fifteen years old or not, that girl had spunk.

The stone was slightly warm beneath her fingertips, as if still desperately clinging to the sun rays they had managed to soak up during the day, and Sutton sighed quietly in the stillness.

"I could probably try running a bit," she said to herself, "but I'm so tired of running right now. This really is getting ridiculous."

"All the better; it would be irritating to have to chase you."

Sutton spun around sharply at the new voice that most definitely did not belong to her. She found herself face to face with the Goblin King himself, in all his 80's fantasy fashion glory. That the outfit was meant to intimidate was clear, with its high collar, armored shoulder, and all-over gleaming black. Sutton found it hard to be frightened, however, when the outfit included so much glitter. Plus that hair; it was practically a glorified mullet. The only thing she found the potential to be frightened by was the sharpness and cunning that shone in his mismatched eyes. Sutton shifted on her feet as she noticed him evaluating her in return.

"You are no runner," he said. "How did you manage to get into my Labyrinth?"

"That, my friend, is a good question."  
One of his oddly shaped brows ticked up in wait for an answer, but Sutton let her statement stand on its own. The Goblin King glared when she refused to say anything else.

"No human is able to travel to the Underground without help." He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, what is your name?"

Sutton was really tired of going through the 'introductions' spiel.

"My name is-"

She cut herself off as her brain kicked in and she actually remembered something she'd read in a few fantasy books. There were rules when dealing with the fae, if that's what he was. You shouldn't give them your name for one thing. Sutton cleared her throat.

"My name is Wren," she said. It wasn't technically a lie. One of the names she had was Wren; it just didn't happen to be her first one.

"Wren?"

"After my grandmother," she supplied. "Now, do you know how I get back Aboveground? I'd rather not run the maze if I don't have to. Especially, you know, if someone else is already running it."

Something in his eyes flashed sharply and Sutton took a step back.

"It is a Labyrinth," he corrected. His voice was sharp and snappish. "And it seems you think yourself quite knowledgeable of my kingdom for a witless human."

Sutton was still trying to come up with an answer that wasn't the "wrong" kind of answer when the Goblin King shot her a look that people usually wore when they've suddenly remembered something.

"There's something," he muttered under his breath. He paused a moment and Sutton stood silent and still as he thought. "Something… You remind me of…."

Sutton, to her credit, knew that the first response that popped into her head was the wrong one and would give away that she knew far too much about things she shouldn't.

_Or would end up inspiring the song in the first place. Not good either way._

Instead, she dutifully kept her mouth shut and cocked her own eyebrow in retaliation. Wasn't there something else you were supposed to do if you were met with a fae? Flatter them, right? And in the film he had said to Sarah that she expected him to be the villain, so he was. Perhaps Sutton could have the advantage of not expecting him to be bad.

"I expect that a powerful, handsome king such as yourself is more than capable, and gracious enough, to help one human leave a place they don't belong in."

His attention refocused on her and his lips twitched slightly in mild amusement. Sutton assumed that he knew exactly what she was doing, but she had to try. And really, she hadn't cowered before him for one moment of this conversation, so he couldn't use that to play the villain card. Sutton didn't care if he knew she was throwing self-serving flattery at him, as long as it worked.

"You seem to know a bit about dealing with my kind," he paused purposefully, "Wren."

Sutton shrugged noncommittally,

"I read a lot."

He hummed in response, gloved fingers brushing against his lips, and then he smirked.

"I can be generous, true. But the last time I tried, half my castle was put to ruins. So I think not."

"Well, tha- wait. What?  
The information took a few seconds to process and Sutton's face twisted in confusion.  
"Sarah 's already been through?"  
She hadn't meant to use her outside voice for that comment, but sometimes her brain forgot to keep her inner ramblings to herself. Before she could flinch she found herself pressed against one of the Labyrinth walls with the face of an angry Goblin King frighteningly close to her own. He had a firm grasp of the collar of her shirt, and Sutton instinctively gripped his hands in retaliation.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!"  
"Nothing, tra-la-la? It hardly seems so. How do you know of Sarah?"

His tone was dangerous and his eyes glinted harshly in the available light. Sutton wondered fleetingly if the Bog of Eternal Stench could affect her.

"I-I don't! I mean, not a lot, I've, um, met her a couple times. She tells stories, you know. I'd thought, you know, that she just made it all up. Or imagined it."

His face morphed from borderline furious to suspicious and darkly amused. His hold on her collar slackened slightly and he backed away from her face.

"Well, of course she did, silly girl. But that doesn't make this any less real."

Sutton shoved his hands off her completely and brushed off the front of her shirt as she glowered. Eyeing him from under her brows, she snorted a derisive puff of air from her nose and rolled her eyes.

"Right. Anyway, you have to help me get out of here. I'm not running for anyone and I didn't get wished away."

The Goblin King swiveled on his tiptoes and spun away dramatically with a hum.

"How about this; if you can find your way out of my Labyrinth then you can leave."

"Hey! You can't do that!"  
"I can and I will. After all, my kingdom is as great as hers. She said it herself."

He disappeared then like a windows movie maker transition and with an unsettling, cackling laugh. Sutton stared dumbly where he had been and grit her teeth when it was obvious he wasn't coming back.

"Are you serious?"

It was silent save for the faint rustling of dry branches in the wind.

"Seriously," she muttered once more under her breath.

She'd been walking again for what felt like half an hour and still hadn't found any invisible opening in the wall. Her fingertips were rough and dry from rubbing against the crumbling stone for so long. She even tried jogging for a bit to speed things along, but there still was nothing but a long stretch of brick before her. Frustratedly, she blew her bangs out of her face and forced herself onwards.

"You know, body, this would be a great time for you to teleport."  
But she didn't feel sick in the least and there was no odd tingling in her limbs that usually told her to be alert. She quietly snorted again.

"Typical."

The thought crossed her mind that perhaps he had rigged the game in order to keep her from ever escaping, but she shoved the idea away. It wouldn't be any fun if she didn't have a chance, right?

So Sutton continued on with a walk, then jog a little, pace and hand still feeling along the right side of the wall. She was about ready to try climbing up with stone wall and transversing the top when a little voice broke the silence.

" 'allo!"  
Sutton froze and whipped her head to the left in order to spot a small, fuzzy blue worm with a tiny red scarf. A grin broke out on her face as hope was restored. She knelt down to be more at eye level with the small creature and nodded in greeting.

"Hi! You have no idea how relieved I am to see you."

The creature looked a bit surprised by her comment and then shook its head side to side.

"What? To see me? No, I'm just a worm!"

"Maybe, but isn't there an opening in the Labyrinth right across from you?"

The worm nodded an affirmative.

"Oh yes, someone's always lookin' for it. Why don't you come inside for tea?"

Sutton eyed the wall across from her and the small crevice which seemed to be the entrance to the worm's home.

"Thank you, but I really should get out of here."

Jumping up she came face to face with what looked like a solid wall. Holding her hands out in front of her, she tentatively pushed forward and was ecstatic when she met no resistance and instead went right through.

"Yes! Now, left!"

Sutton turned to the left with eager anticipation. Left, according to the worm in the movie, led straight to the castle! She wouldn't have to toil through the obstacles of the Labyrinth at all!

Heaven knew that she didn't need anymore obstacles at the moment.

But after three steps she only came face to face with another, solid, brick wall.

"What?"  
Sutton smacked at the wall with the palms of her hand, but it didn't give away or change at all. She kicked it a few times, ran her fingers along the gaps in the stone, anything to try and trigger an opening. But the stones remained steadfast and unyielding. With an angry, muffled shout, she turned back to the worm.

"It won't let me go left!"

"Oh, you don't want to go left! Never go that way! That would take you straight to that nasty castle!"

Sutton's hands clenched as she held them up near her waist.

"I _want_ to get to the castle! That's my way out of here!"  
The worm blinked slowly.

"Well, the Labyrinth always changes. You can't always go left! How 'bout you come inside and meet the missus?"  
"I really have to get out of here."

Sutton ran hands roughly through her curls and turned back around to walk back through the gap in the walls.

"It was nice meeting you though."

Sutton groaned as she made her way to the right. The brick walls continued on and she was only losing progress.

"I don't want to act out the entire movie," she said to herself. "Is that really so much to ask?"

In the movie, Sarah always went right and it always ended up in trouble somehow. Sutton was determined not to do the same thing.

Sometime later she had found herself in the hedge portion of the Labyrinth. It was a nice change from the monotony of the brick walls and she breathed a little easier around all the green. Her legs felt heavy and strained and her eyes burned. How long had she been awake? Before finding herself here, she'd already had quite a full day. A few more twists and turns, maybe, and then she'd sit down for a quick nap. The Goblin King hadn't given her a time limit, after all. Noises up ahead brought her out of her drowsy state. There were a few different voices in the mix, a couple rising and falling as if in debate, and another deeper voice that would let out a whined response every once in awhile. Sutton decided things couldn't go downhill too much further and headed for the voices.

Rounding an overgrown hedge, Sutton found, to her surprise, a small trio hovering around what appeared to be a board game.

"I must insist, Sir Hoggle, that 'yous' is simply not a real word!"  
"If it isn't a reals word, then how cans I use it?"  
Sutton blinked at the familiar muppets as they sat on the stone ground and argued over a game of what was clearly scrabble.

"Ludo tuuuuuurn!"  
She flinched at the loud moan from the giant, orange beast that was Ludo. Her movement caught the attention of Hoggle, who was facing more in her direction, and the entire group jumped at his outcry. They all spun to face her, and Sutton realized how freaked out she was to see muppets moving, in person, without strings or handlers.

"Whos are you? And what 'r yous doin' here?"  
"Another lady!"  
"I'm S- uh, Wren. And I'm just trying to get out of this Labyrinth. Actually, would you all be able to help me? I wasn't able to go left at the worm."

They all seemed surprised by she sudden request and quick introduction. Hoggle at least caught on to the last part of her sentence.

"No lefts? Yous must'a upset Jareth, the rat!"

Sir Didymus jumped up and gave her a flashy bow that sent his feathered hat dipping dangerously close to the ground.

"Lady Wren," he said, "it would be our honor to assist you on your valiant rescue!"

Behind the fox-terrier, Ludo grinned widely.

"Wren friend?"  
"Yeah," Sutton piped up. "Friend!"

Hoggle scowled and suddenly looked a bit suspicious. He pushed himself up onto his feet with a few grunts and pointed a fat finger at her.

"Not much of'a rescue," he said. "Yous wished someone away. And we was lucky not to get the bog for helping the last one!"  
Sir Didymus went to whack Hoggle with his little staff, but the dwarf was able to dodge the blow in time.

"I didn't wish anyone away, actually. I got here accidentally; that's the problem. Jareth won't help me get Aboveground unless I can get out of the Labyrinth."

The three appeared baffled. Ludo tilted his head almost all the way onto one side, Sir Didymus blinked blankly, and Hoggle rubbed at his chin with a frown.

"Not wished 'nyone away? Is never heard of that before."  
Sir Didymus jumped at the opening presented.

"All the more reason to assist the lady! Worry not, we shall help you get back home before you have time to be missed! Ambrosius! Come boy!"  
Sutton felt a bit relieved, truthfully, to have a bit of company no matter how odd it was to see live puppetry. She smiled and dipped her head in gratitude.

"That would be fantastic."  
She noticed Hoggle grumble quietly and mutter to himself.

"Is don't think Is wants anymore friends. Trouble 's all they are."

But he followed after Sir Didymus after the knight had mounted his steed and began leading the way with a,

_"tally-ho!"  
_

She followed them down whatever path it was that they chose, hoping that they truly knew the way to get out of this place. They seemed confident enough, if not in terms of helping her then at least in terms of direction. They twisted around more leafy hedges and trotted up stone steps and all the while Sir Didymus entertained them with previous exploits and fair maidens rescued in the past. Sutton shuffled along behind near Hoggle and listened to the excited knight with quiet amusement.

"Ah, but Sarah was the most clever of all the runners! She was the only one to defeat the Labyrinth, you know! And a loyal friend too!"

"I mets her first," Hoggle grumbled. "She gaves me this bracelet."

He flashed a cheap, plastic bracelet at her and Sutton gave him a smile in return.

"Sarah sounds very cool."

"Sawah, friend!"

Sutton walked along with them for awhile, although her sense of time was a bit skewed. She hadn't ever gotten that nap and it seemed out of the question now. Eventually they turned a corner and were greeted by a solid stone wall. Sir Didymus pulled Ambrosius to a stop and let out an insulted cry.

"My! That wall certainly does not belong there! There is trickery afoot!"

Sutton was exhausted and did not feel like backtracking. She marched up to the wall and rested a hand against it.

"That's it," she muttered. "I'm not playing this game anymore."

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and imagined that the wall wasn't there. Imagined that it was a walkway instead and lead them closer to the castle.

Suddenly there was a loud, screeching sound; similar to when you hold a microphone too close to a speaker, and Sutton flew back with a pained yell. She stumbled back away from the wall and opened her eyes to see a black, shifting mass disappear from the stone's surface. There was a dissipating ringing in her ears and her vision was blurry for a moment as she recovered from the event.

"What?"

Her three new companions were staring at her with a concerned confusion and then Sutton saw Hoggle's face morph into a look of horror.

"Well, well!"

Sutton groaned and turned to find that they had been joined by the Goblin King himself. Once again. He was staring at her with a renewed interest and a sharp eye that had Sutton actually backing away.

"Jareth!"

Hoggle looked the most disturbed by the development and Sutton couldn't blame him.

"Do you know, I think I was able to pinpoint what you remind me of."  
That did not make Sutton feel good. Jareth's gaze darted over the small trio and he sneered.

"You even managed to make the same friends. How quaint."  
Sutton swallowed.

"Sarah?"  
His grin was bitter as it curled across his face, teeth poking out over his lower lip.

"Sarah," he agreed.

Sutton watched as he began to flounce around her in what she assumed was meant to be a prowl; he just had too much flare for it to be strictly a prowl. Sutton tried to make sure that she was always facing him.

"She had certain powers, same as you," he continued.

Sutton was not entirely sure what he was implying. That Sarah had the power of imagination too? But, that would be impossible! Sarah was a made up character herself. It didn't make sense. Instead she deflected the conversation.

"I'm getting out of this Labyrinth. You're not going to distract me and you're not going to stop me."

His grin was less bitter now and more feral. One gloved hand reached out and he twirled twisted his palm around so that when he brought it back up there was a perfect crystal ball resting in his hand. Sutton immediately bristled.

"What about your dreams? I could give them to you. Everything you ever wanted."

"No thank you; I'm perfectly fine without your dream bubbles."  
He frowned at her refusal and gripped the crystal a bit tighter.

"Fortunately for me, you are a trespasser in my Labyrinth. The usual protections for a runner do not apply to you. But perhaps now I am feeling generous."  
Sutton watched as he tossed the crystal in her direction, but was unable to move out of its path.

"I will give you precisely what you desire."

[][][][][]

Sutton blinked as she began to feel her limbs again. Her head was rushing and her limbs felt weak as she let her vision clear and refocus. All around her were shades of white, and something scratchy rested over her legs. A tube ran from her arm and out of her line of sight.

"Wha-"

Her throat was dry and raspy as she tried to form words. She couldn't understand why her voice wasn't working right. What had happened right before this? Something to her right shifted and solidified.

"Sutton? Sutton, you're awake!"

Sutton was just able to turn her head and tears sprung to her eyes.

"Mom!"

Her mother leapt from her chair and snatched up Sutton's limp hand, rubbing at it soothingly as she beamed down at her.

"Oh, hon, we were so scared! The doctors- the doctors weren't sure-"

The thought seemed to be too much for her mother to complete, and she choked back a sob as she continued rubbing her thumb over Sutton's hand.

"Baby, I'm so glad you're awake."

Before Sutton could attempt to reply, the door to the room burst open and her brother and step-dad rushed into the room.

"Sutton!"

Tyrese made a running leap onto her hospital bed and threw his arms around her as much as he was able.

"Sutton! I knew you'd wake up! Didn't I say she would?"

She sat up, suddenly feeling stronger, and clutched her brother tightly against her. Having her family around her felt so right; left her sighing in relief. Although a part of her couldn't figure out why. What had happened before this moment? Why was she in the hospital? And why did it feel like she hadn't held her brother like this in forever? Tears manifested as her family gathered around her and she felt a joy swell up inside her that rivaled all other feelings. Howard rubbed at her head affectionately and Sutton gripped at her mother's hand from around her brother's back.

The sound of the door opening again broke them out of their reunion. As her family moved away and Tyrese climbed off the hospital bed, Sutton was greeted with the sight of a doctor.

"Bruce!"  
The man eyed her oddly and tapped at his name tag.

"Doctor Banner," he said. "And it's good to see you up."  
Sutton blinked, confused, and shook her head. What had possessed her to say that?

"Oh, right, sorry. I mean, it's good to be awake."  
Dr. Banner smiled softly at her and began going over her chart and vitals. Sutton didn't hear much of it, her head was still swimming with thoughts that didn't make sense while trying to process what was going on around her. Her mother kept a firm grip on her hand, and Sutton welcomed the grounding it provided her.

Another man entered the room, and Sutton felt another knee jerk reaction at his presence. But she didn't know him, right? She couldn't know him.

"Hello, sorry to interrupt, but I heard she was awake."

Howard stood up to greet the newcomer.

"Mr. Stark, good to see you. I didn't expect you so soon."  
Sutton could feel her heart begin to race faster, but the monitors around her didn't seem to be registering it.

"I though it'd be best to get a testimony from her as quickly as possible." Mr. Stark turned to face her and smirked at her good-naturedly.

"Hey, Sutton. I'm your lawyer and I'm going to help you take that drunk driver to the cleaners."

Sutton licked her dry lips and tried to think of what to say. Something was wrong. Her mother let go of her hand to check her chirping phone and Sutton felt her stomach give out. Tyrese peered over at his mother's phone screen.

"Is that Sutton's boyfriend?"  
"I almost forgot to text him," her mother replied. "Oh, Sutton, he was so worried."

The world was spinning now. Sutton's skin was crawling as if filled with wiggling insect legs from the inside and she stumbled out of the hospital bed on legs that shouldn't have held her.

"Whoa, hold on there." Dr. Banner moved to stop her but Sutton batted his hands away.

"No," she said. "Something-something isn't right! I was doing something before this. I was supposed to be doing something."

"Yes," her mother said with a hint of a bite. "Resting! You just woke from a coma, dear!"  
"No."  
She eyed the lawyer again and something in her brain clicked.

"Tony," she muttered. "Oh-oh no."  
More tears sprung to her eyes and her limbs began shaking.

"None of this is real," she whispered. "I'm dreaming, aren't I? It's too good to be true."  
The crowded room moved to try and console and stop her, but Sutton refused to fall back into the dream. It might be a nice dream, but all dreams end eventually. This one couldn't be any different. Reaching for an empty hospital chair, Sutton lifted it off the floor and flung it at the nearest window. The glass shattered into a million sharp pieces and reflected the horrified faces of her family as they flew by.

[][][][][]

Sutton groaned once more. Her head was sore and her eyes felt scratchy. There were whisperings coming from all around her and it sent her heart rate spiking as she struggled to open her eyes. One voice rose above all the chatter.

"Hey, good to see you up. Congratulations on besting that manipulative rat."  
The voice was soft, feminine, and it didn't sound threatening. Sutton's vision cleared and she found herself staring up at a beautiful woman, probably near her thirties, with dark hair and shining green eyes.

"My name is Sarah," she said. "And I'm here to help you."


	12. Oneshot - Wizard of Oz

They were singing. Again. Sutton was starting to seriously consider braiding her hair into a noose and being done with it all. It wasn't that she never liked "The Wizard of Oz" growing up, but their constant bursts into song were starting to grate on her. Musicals, after all, had never really been her forte. And now she had three additional songs floating around in her head that had never even been sung on screen.

Who even sang about pet care and wishes anyway? Since when had that been a thing?

She remained silent and ahead of the group as their latest song finally tapered off; if nothing else Sutton had to admit that the landscape was beautiful. It was much more vibrant and filled in than the 40s film ever had the chance to be. Colors just seemed more, scents were sharper, and warm light touched everything. Well, everything except for the Wicked Witch's craggy mountain. Dorothy's voice cut through the brief, blessed silence.

"Why, Sutton! Don't you have anything you wish for? That you care for? What is it that you want to ask from the Wizard?"  
Sutton craned her head around and bit at her lip. Right; she'd told them that she was "off to see the Wizard" the same as them. But really, what other option did she have when being pelted with apples thrown by trees? It didn't really leave much time for creative thoughts.

"Oh, well, you know, it'd be nice to be able to go home."

She sighed, despite herself, and tucked her hands inside the cloak she was stuck wearing. The loud 'clip clop' of Dorothy's signature shoes quickened on the yellow brick road, and Sutton shifted as the girl looped her arm through Sutton's own. Her basket with the dog actually in it was hanging over that same arm, and Sutton reached over to pet Toto.

"My, are you from Kansas too?"

"No, but I am from the United States? I don't think I can explain how I got here."

Dorothy squeezed her arm, in what Sutton guessed was sympathy, and nodded her head in understanding.

"Neither can I! One moment I was trying to find Auntie Em, and the next the entire house is picked up in a tornado! Oh, it was so frightening! And it is entirely my fault, all because I tried to run away!"

"I'm sure it wasn't your fault. I don't think you can control the weather."  
Sutton tried to laugh to shake the girl's distraught attitude, but her lip puckered anyway. The Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion surrounded them as if the girl had dropped a handkerchief and winked prettily at them.

"Don't cry," the Tin Man pleaded. "If you cry, then I'll cry, and I'll rust again!"

"The Wizard will be able to send you home, you'll see," the Scarecrow chimed in. Even the Cowardly Lion spoke up.

"Yeah, yeah, you'll see!"

Dorothy looked to Sutton, for whatever reason, and Sutton huffed quietly. She made a fist and raised it level with her shoulder.

"Girl power, sister."

Dorothy looked marginally confused at the gesture, but she mimicked the move and gave Sutton a proud smile.

"Girl power? Yes, I suppose so!"

By the time they reached the poppy fields Sutton was ready to reach the Emerald City. She hoped she could get a shower. Or, maybe, she would just not leave the city at all? There was no real reason for her to face the Wicked Witch. Heavens knew that the Wizard couldn't help her.

Dorothy ran ahead of them, past the trees and pointed toward the towering emerald buildings in the distance.

"There's Emerald City! Oh, we're almost there at last! At last! It's beautiful isn't it? Just like I knew it would be! He must be a wonderful wizard to live in a city like that."

Sutton bit her lip to stifle any stray snickering. The Cowardly Lion was grinning so widely, she was surprised his face didn't split.

"Well come on then, what are we waiting f-ohr?"  
"Nothing! Let's go! Hurry!"

Sutton was not sure why they felt the need to hurry, to run, but she was really tired of it. She trotted slowly behind them and giggled as they flailed across the field. And then Dorothy pulled to a stop, saying she was suddenly tired. It was quite dramatic, the way the girl held a hand daintily up to her forehead and then slowly sank into the grass. Sutton caught up to them and stopped, eyes flickering rapidly around the ground.

"Wait! Where's Toto? Don't hurt the dog!"

It didn't take long for the Cowardly Lion to join Dorothy in poisoned slumber. The Tin Man and Scarecrow stood over Dorothy and panicked.

Sutton hadn't seen anyone panic quite so much in all her travels so far.

"Oh, this is terrible! Can't budge her an inch! This is a spell, this is!"

"It's the Wicked Witch," the Tin Man agreed. "What'll we do?"  
Sutton cleared her throat and stepped forward.

"Excuse me, gentleman."

Stepping around them, she leaned down to hook her arms underneath Dorothy's and hefted her up to drag her along the ground. It wasn't exactly easy, but the girl really didn't weigh that much.

"You literally don't have any bones," she said to Scarecrow. "It's not your fault."

The Tin Man still started crying.

"But it's so far! How could we ever hope to get Dorothy and the Lion to Emerald City? We'll never make it now!"  
"Oh," the Scarecrow shook a finger at the Tin Man. "Don't you start crying! You'll rust again!"

Sutton lowered Dorothy back to the ground and put her hands on her hips in annoyance.

"Dear word," she grumbled, "is this what I'm like to the Avengers? No wonder they call me kid." She stepped forward and held her hands out trying to placate the two fretful, well, beings. "Listen, it's going to be fine."

"Wait!" The Scarecrow held up a finger as if just nailing down a thought. "How are you still awake? Whatever it is, maybe it could work for Doroth-"  
"Never mind that," Sutton interrupted. "Look, it's snowing!"

And it was snowing. Large, fat, white flakes drifted from the sky, though it had been nothing but blue sky so far. Sutton waited for it to settle overtop Dorothy and the Lion, finally remembering how it was they got out of this situation.

_Thanks, Glinda. You deus ex machina._

Scarecrow scrambled to help Dorothy to her feet and Toto shook himself off and scurried around their legs. Sutton moved to start oiling the Tin Man who'd rusted, yet again, thanks to the snowfall.

"Oh," said Dorothy, "let's hurry! We must see the Wizard!"

They took off running again as if the Wizard might up and quit his day job at any moment.

Sutton sighed once again and jogged to catch up, the Emerald City only growing larger with every step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is for Penelope Zozes, who requested "The Wizard of Oz"! Thank you for the request! :D


	13. Oneshot - Back to School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Non-canon oneshot. Sutton and Steve have to go on an undercover mission at a high school.

"I don't understand why I'm the one going with you on this mission," Sutton said out of the corner of her mouth. "Natasha is the spy."

Steve glanced down at her as they continued to walk and smirked.

"Natasha was on the news, you weren't. Besides, who better to teach a _safety in social media_ course than you?'

Sutton glared up at him as she adjusted the full bag slung over her shoulder with various papers and office supplies stuffed inside.

He was Captain America, but they were still sending _him_. Just because he'd darkened his hair with hair dye didn't mean he was unrecognizable.

"We both know I'm not teacher material. Most of these kids are bigger than I am; no way they take me seriously."

Steve pumped his fist in one of those mockingly encouraging ways as he seemed to take pleasure in poking fun at her.

"You can do it! You just have to be firm. Take a stand."

Sutton rolled her eyes and knocked into him with her shoulder. Not that it would shove him off balance at all. She had to take two to three steps just to keep up with Steve's stride as it was.

The high school they were infiltrating loomed closer in front of them as they trailed through the parking lot. From fighting an Asgardian prince to a homicidal AI, Sutton hadn't expected a pubic high school to be on the Avenger's mission list.

"Where would a high school even be hiding an _uclear-nay omb-bay,_ anyway?"  
Steve's brow shot up at her and he snorted.

"Please, never use pig Latin again. And I dunno. Maybe they keep it under the floorboards."  
Sutton scoffed back at him.

They reached the doors of the school and Sutton knew that this was the part where they had to split up and go out on their own. They were both supposed to be 'new', but they didn't wan to be too closely associated with each other and risk the mission.

"You'll do great." Steve briefly set a comforting hand on her shoulder and graced her with one of his warm smiles. Sutton tried to huff mockingly.

"Me? No, I'm more worried about you. Have you seen how young girls behave when they have an old man crush?" She clicked her tongue in mock pity. "They'll tear you apart and you're too polite to stand a chance."

"Sweetheart, I fought Nazis for two years of my life. I think I can handle a few teenagers."  
Sutton shrugged, though she caught sight of the Admin office and shifted in that direction.

"Then have fun in history, old man."

A week went by and Sutton was wondering how the Avengers had suspected this was anything other than a normal, functioning high school. There were quiet kids and rowdy kids, crass kids who tried to flirt with her and kids taking the class for easy credits and the supposed internet time. It was all so mundane and predictable. All the other teachers and staff looked appropriately worn down for the year.

Sutton might still be in her first week, but she was already exhausted and always famished by lunch, and _was she even getting compensated for this? When was Saturday going to arrive?_

The halls were a crowded mess as she tried to navigate through them. All she wanted was to get to the cafeteria, "bump" into fellow staff member Steve, and eat some food while she told him that this was probably a colossal waste of time.

Sutton passed what appeared to be a dark, empty classroom and skidded to a halt after thinking that she heard angry whispering over the chatter of the surrounding teens. Glancing quickly around the hall, she stepped out of the flowing crowd and edged near the door. It was cracked open, and Sutton cut her eyes to try and peer inside. There was a taller figure pacing the floor, she could only really see the shape of his silhouette and catch a brief glimpse of dark shaggy hair.

"…no, sir…. yellowcake …. –ill secure…."

Sutton gasped quietly, the man in the room spun around, and she moved away from the door; now pushing through students without care on her way to the cafeteria.

Either they were having a specific dessert today, or the Avengers might be on the right track.

She burst through the swinging double doors and charged through the scent of cheap processed foods as she scanned the crowd. It was not hard to find Steve. His extra height made him easily identifiable among the students. Sutton rushed up to him and he spotted her as she got close. He looked disheveled and overwhelmed as well after his week, and Sutton hoped he was ready for the actual challenge.

"Hey, I didn't know what you want-"

"No time! Come on!"

Sutton grabbed his hand and pulled him back out of the cafeteria and down the first random hallway they came to.

"Wait, what is it?"

"Shh!"  
A janitor's closet was just to the right, and it was unlocked, so Sutton whipped the door open and pulled them both inside before closing it again. The darkness of the room enveloped them so she couldn't see Steve's face anymore, but she could hear the curiosity in his voice.

"So what's this all about?"  
"You guys might actually be onto something. I was coming to meet you, and I heard someone talking in an empty classroom. They mentioned yellow cake. Were they serving yellow cake for lunch today; because that seems like a really weird thing to talk about in a creepy empty classroom?"

Steve's hands were on her shoulders again and she could feel him leaning in close.

"Are you sure? That's what you heard?"  
"Yes!"  
"Did you see who it was?"  
Sutton huffed.

"Well, no, not exactly. The door wasn't cracked open far enough."

"Did he see you?"  
"I don't think so? I didn't stick around long enough to find out."  
Her eyes were starting to adjust to the dark, and she saw him shake his head in agreement.

"No, that was good. You did the right thing. Darn, I was really hoping it'd be nothing."

Sutton sighed, her shoulders slumping as she realized how much this would really complicate things and what it meant.

"And I was already worn out from just the kids."  
"You," Steve asked. He stepped away, removing his hands to muss his hair further. "I wasn't sure I was going to make it to lunch today. You really weren't kidding."  
"I don't joke about teenagers. They're scary."

Steve rubbed at the back of his head as he stared off into space to think. Sutton twirled a curl around her finger.

"Well, we'll have to-"

There were voices growing louder that stood out from the hum of the crowd. It was clear from the words she could catch that whoever was headed this way was speaking about her and Steve. He probably had better hearing than she did, and his face was pinched in a way that she knew meant he was trying to come up with some sort of solution. Sutton wrung her hands together, fingers twisting over each other.

"Are they going to be suspicious? I mean, we're both _new_ teachers. Do you think he saw me?"  
The door handle twisted and Steve seemed to snap to a decision.

"Sorry," he said quickly.

Before Sutton could ask about what, he'd pulled her flush against his body and met her lips with his. Sutton stiffened in shock, her arms snapping upwards and then landing on his biceps for balance.

There were hot sparks shooting off in her head and a dizzy feeling, like all the air had left her lungs from the top of her scalp.

He was kissing her? Why was he kissing her? He should most definitely not be kissing her! Butterflies erupted in a mad frenzy in her stomach and the door opened. Light spilled into room and both of them broke apart quickly to face whoever was at the door.

Two faculty members stared into the closet with expressions of shock and discomfort while a small group of teens gawked and giggled behind them. Sutton's face went hot as she avoided any eye contact. One of the teens whispered to their friend.

_"Told you."_

"What is the meaning of this! I'd expect this kind of behavior from one of my students, not my staff!"  
Sutton recognized the woman as the principal, who she'd actually spoken to Monday morning, and winced. The man with the principal eyed their mussed hair and clothes and then snorted in disdain.

"I don't have the time to stick around and chastise adults," he said.

Sutton recognized his voice. Her eyes darted briefly to his face and she noted the shaggy hair hanging by his brows.

"I, uh, this, um- what I-"

She couldn't seem to get a coherent sentence out and her face only grew warmer.

"We're sorry," Steve said for her. "It won't happen again."  
The principal absolutely glowered at them.

"No," she said icily. "It won't."

The principal left in a huff, breaking up the crowds of students as she went who scattered back to their original routes with juicy new gossip to share. Steve put a hand on Sutton's back to help direct her away from the crowd and prying ears. Just the gesture made Sutton feel funny all over again.

"Sorry about that," he mumbled. She could tell from his tone that he felt a bit sheepish about what had happened. "Just- Natasha said it usually makes people uncomfortable, I, and it worked, so-"  
He shrugged and Sutton tried to shrug back.

"No, yeah, right. I get it. It worked again! Good, good thinking."

Steve sighed.

"So, uh, you think that was the guy?"

The question brought the mission back into focus and Sutton tried to shake off the incident and stay on track.

"Yeah, he had the same hair, same voice."

They'd have to stay at the school for even longer now. Perhaps even another week. They had to find out just who this guy was and where exactly he was hiding this device without cluing him in to what they were up to, and all while maintaining their teaching facade.

It was going to be a long mission.

It was quiet between them as they walked. Sutton supposed that Steve was walking her back to her classroom since his was on the other side of the building, but didn't ask about it. There was a good two feet between them and Sutton was aware of it, careful to not let her arm brush against his own. Her stomach was still a bit unsettled and her lips still tingled, but to think anything of it would be ridiculous. Steve was Captain America, a super hero. Sutton was a weird girl who had hitchhiked universes to avoid a prison sentence. She totally didn't like him like that. He most assuredly didn't like her.

Steve cleared his throat a few times and Sutton glanced up, not sure if he was trying to catch her attention or just had an itch in the back of his throat.

"Well," he finally said, "I guess that means the team 'll keep us here until we can get this all contained."

"Yep."  
"And the entire school probably thinks we're… together now."

"Oh, definitely something like that."

Steve rubbed at his head again and Sutton wondered if the hair dye was irritating his scalp. He probably couldn't wait to go back to his natural color. It was a nice color. It looked good on him.

"I suppose that means we might as well keep the act up."

"Obv-wait, what?"

Sutton froze in her tracks and pinned Steve with a wide-eyed stare. Had he just suggested that they pretend to be a couple? For the entire mission?

"Well, the guy you saw might get suspicious if we just ignore each other from now on. And he probably won't pay as much attention to us if he thinks we're just a couple of impulsive adults. But not if it makes you feel uncomfortable! I mean, I understand-"  
"I mean, I guess you have a point." Sutton was pulling at a lock of hair and looking somewhere over his shoulder. "It'd just be, like, a cover."

"Right."

She met his eyes.  
"And we wouldn't be going back into any janitor's closets or anything."

"Right!"  
They both paused and awkwardly cleared their throats as the conversation dissipated. Sutton felt funny all over again even if it was just a cover for a mission.

"We should get you back to your classroom. Lunch is over in ten minutes and you probably want something from the vending machine."  
"That would be great. I should have some cash in my bag."  
They continued moving down the hallway, walking a little closer together this time, and Sutton was fighting back a smile.

"Maybe I should hold your hand, or something?" Steve was glancing down at her from the corner of his eye. "You know, for the cover."  
Sutton bit her lip. Something warm bloomed in her blood and made her feel heady.

"Right. For the cover."

He held his hand open and she placed her much smaller hand in his. After a moment of indecision, she laced her fingers around his own.

"For the cover," she said seriously.

Steve smiled at her and she couldn't help but return it even if she tried to fight it back.

"Exactly."


	14. Oneshot - Sherlock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Another quick oneshot! Admittedly, I had this one written awhile ago but I never posted it because I didn't want it to spoil Universal Displacement.

Sutton opened her eyes to skyscrapers mingling with old world architecture. The air was tainted, she could practically taste exhaust, and her head spun a moment as she adjusted to seeing the world from on her back on the ground. Her breathing quickened as she tried to blink away the dizziness that struck her even before she'd attempted to get up. Sutton finally pushed herself to a sitting position and noted that she was hidden away in some alleyway outside a main street. Something towered in the distance and her heart stopped as she spotted an easily recognizable building.

_Parliament. Big Ben._

She jumped to her feet quickly, staggered and swayed before catching her balance against a building wall, and her pupils dilated. She could feel ice creep through her veins at the thought that she wasn't _safe. He would find her right back where she'd started from and-_

 _No._ No, it wasn't.

There were no hover cars or people in shiny, sleek black suits. She wasn't _back there_. Her heart stuttered as she let out a shaky breath while she propped herself up with her left hand on her knee. But she still had to move, she looked dirty and homeless just standing on the curb.

_Perhaps she kind of was._

The sidewalk passed by as she began limping down various roads on her trek to find an embassy or something. Maybe she was home. She could call Tony and he'd come get her and then they'd figure out how to keep her more permanently tethered to Marvel earth. Or Earth-616 as he'd started jokingly calling it, despite how she'd tried to explain the difference between movies and comics.

' _Out of respect to Generalissimo, of course.' Pfft._

But progress in finding her way around was slow. She was tired and hungry and still hurting a bit.

And... she was scared.

She had nothing to her name, once again, save for the clothes on her back, and she still wasn't positive this earth was where she wanted to be. So far she hadn't found any signs to set her off that hope, but how many different London's looked just like hers?

She was distracted with looking at the environment around her and less with watching where she was going. That she bumped into someone was fairly predictable. Sutton stumbled back and looked up to apologize but screamed instead.

_Ice blue eyes. Sharp face. Black, black hair._

Sutton scrambled back, falling on her rear, before rushing back up to stand with feet spread apart and knees bent and tense. Her left leg quivered under the strain and a sharp tug of pain pulsed at her knee. The man seemed shocked and a bit more than disapproving of her unnecessary outburst.

And then as she got a better look at him she came back to her senses.

It was not Khan. This man would not hut her. But this was almost as bad. She was _not_ home, not even close. And she was in the one place where she _could not_ ask for help without destroying everything this world believed possible and causing a couple people mental breakdowns.

"Excuse me," she finally got out, her voice shaky and rough. Her breathing was coming more under control and she flushed thoroughly at her unintended reaction. "I wasn't paying attention and you... startled me."

She looked to the tall man's shorter companion as she apologized, unable to make eye contact with the man she'd actually accosted, and internally cringed.

_Of course she'd run into_ _Sherlock_ _bloody Holmes and John Watson._

Of course.

Sherlock was eyeing her with an intensity that said he already knew her middle name from her choice in shirt color. Sutton still couldn't even make eye contact him. She looked at John Watson, who was still shocked by her loud outburst, and dipped her head.

"Sorry for the interruption."

Stepping to the side, she moved around them and began to continue on when _his_ deep voice stopped her.

"Who is he, then?"

She stopped and twisted around, confused.

"Excuse me?"

"The man who hurt you who looks like me."

Sutton paled. Of course he would be able to see. He was _Sherlock Holmes._

"Sherlock!"

John looked up in surprise and slight disdain on her behalf. But Sherlock's gaze was steady on her and continuously studying. John turned his own gaze to her and looked over her exposed skin and Sutton twitched her right hand while she tugged her shirt further down over her stomach nervously.

"Sorry," she said. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

"Ah, so you don't deny it."

"Is he still hurting you," John asked gently. "Do you need help?"

"No," Sutton said firmly. "He's-he's worlds away now. I really have to be going."

She turned around again and made it two paces before his voice called her back.

"And yet the abuse occurred relatively recently. Within the last couple weeks."

Her hair whipped back into her face with the force she turned back around with. Her brows were furrowed and her expression spoke clearly of frustration.

"I am quite boring, I promise you."

John shot the detective a look.

"Come on, Sherlock. Leave the girl alone."  
But Sherlock's head had tilted deeply to the side in dangerous curiosity.

"An interesting choice of words," he commented. He paused a moment more as if looking for something and then appeared to come to some sort of decision. "Tell me, have you heard of a man called Moriarty?"

Sutton winced, realized she winced, and tried to recover. She glanced down to John's left hand and noted the wedding ring.

"Sure," she said. "The guy from the news awhile back. Even we'll pay attention to a story that big."

"So you know who I am," Sherlock concluded.

Sutton rolled her eyes, exasperated.

"Yes, yes. I know who you are. _Sherlock Holmes,_ " she said in mock grandeur. "Mighty consulting detective and John Watson the army doctor blogger. You were all over the news, it was fascinating. Etcetera, etcetera."

"My gosh," said John faintly amused. "They're even fed up with you across the pond."

Sherlock shot his friend a snide look from the corner of his eye but largely continued to ignore him.

"And yet," he said lowly, "you attempted to feign not knowing who I am."

"I was...trying to be polite," Sutton improvised. But he didn't look convinced. "Not all Americans are the stereotype, living off a diet of burgers and obnoxiously loud conversation."

He did that thing where he pulled in his lips and then rolled them back out through his teeth; Sutton looked up at the sky. And then he began.

"You have no hand bag, wallet, luggage, or traveler's pouch. You know of Moriarty, more than most I'd suspect by the way you _paled_ at his name, but only admitted to it after confirming John was married."

John looked up in surprise at his friend, his face scrunching down.

"What? Why?"

Sherlock ignored him and plowed over the interruption.

"You work as an interpreter for the Deaf, I assume, given the way you're compulsively finger-spelling _'go away'_ and _'shut up'_ by your side, but you're not here on business. I'd go as far as to say you're lost. You've been wearing the same clothes for two, three, days and haven't had a good wash in the same amount of time. Given the fact that you have no passport, money, or necessities, the question arises, _why would you not seek out help?"_

Sutton flushed red yet again, her frustration only growing. She had stilled her hand at her side at his mentioning of it and she sighed in resignation.

"I am not a case," she said firmly. "I am not looking for help. You really don't need to bother. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I appreciate the concern," she looked between John and no one at all as she said all this, "but I am good to go. Besides, you should get back to whatever case your currently on."

"Why would you think we were on a case," John asked. He seemed a bit more suspicious now, but his sympathy to her state appeared to outweigh most of it.

"Because, uh, isn't that what you do?"

"We're off to lunch actually," Sherlock said. He was suddenly, suspiciously cheerful and Sutton squinted at him. "Join us."

Sutton did not like the way he grinned at her as if he'd just made her his newest puzzle to solve.

"No thank you."

"Oh, _come on_." His hands were in the pockets of his Belstaf and he shrugged his shoulders as if waving her to join. "John's treat."

John scoffed indignantly but straightened at the look Sherlock shot him.

"Yeah," he agreed, "my treat."

"I'm _really_ not hungry," she lied coldly.

Sherlock's welcoming grin died instantly and he peered seriously down at her.

"Well, I wonder what the authorities would think if they found out that a young American girl was in London illegally. _Tsk_ , quite a mess, I'm sure."

She really should have seen that coming.


	15. Oneshot - Boba Fett

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Request that took way too long!

Stupid, stupid, stupid, Sutton!

Who had given her a blaster anyway? Oh, right. She'd stolen it off the body of a poor, poor Stormtrooper who probably only joined the Imperial army because he wanted to pay for college.

Drat it all! She'd only lost sight of the group for two seconds and now all chaos had broken loose and she had no idea where in Cloud City she was at all. Not that she'd really known before, but now she lacked even the farce of "safety in numbers".

Pewing noises and smoke filled the hall and Sutton ducked and rolled and generally screamed as she tried to dodge all the incoming fire.

"I'm not supposed to even be here," she complained over the din of battle. "This is the worst!"

She shot a couple rounds, blasts?, of her own into the fray and hoped she didn't hit anyone important. Some shots hit the wall next to her and exploded on impact and Sutton shrieked while ducking for cover.

"Jerks!"  
A few more pulls of the trigger and Sutton panted for breath while trying to remember how long this lasted or if it'd even been meant to happen at all. From around the corner a dark shadow burst into her line of sight and Sutton yelped while taking a shot out of nervous reflex. Her aim wasn't good, and she'd barely pointed the blaster upwards before pulling the trigger, so the shot hit whoever'd strode around the wall in the leg instead of anywhere fatal.

Sutton blanched when she saw just who she'd shot.

"Oh, oh crap, no. Boba Fett? Someone take this blaster away from me. Wait! He's bad, nope, no, never mind."

There was a gruff grunt from under his helmet as he stumbled from the laser to the leg he'd just taken, and Sutton scrambled backwards while trying not to lose her footing. More Stormtroopers were suddenly coming from the opposite end of the hall, blasters raised, and Boba aimed a gun of his own at her. Sutton tossed her stolen blaster to the ground and lifted her hands in surrender.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait! Don't shoot! I'm-I-uh- I'm worth a lot of mone-credits! I'm worth so, so many credits! Just hold on a second!"

It was impossible to tell what Boba Fett was thinking behind his helmet, but after a few tense seconds he lowered his gun.

"How many credits?"

His voice was gruff, with a tinge of reverb from some sort of mic, and Sutton could only imagine a scarred, roughed up face with a constant grimace.

"So many," she said. Then she realized he probably wanted an actual number and fumbled for an amount he would find compulsory. "Like, at least over twenty thousand? But, I don't know, maybe more if I'm not harmed. Honestly."

Boba Fett took another limping step forward and Sutton just stared awkwardly at the spot on his helmet she guessed his eyes were at.

"Pretty big price for such a small thing," he said.  
She could hear the disbelief in his voice. He probably had an idea of all the bounties available in this quadrant of space, maybe even who the valuable people to kidnap were.

"I snuck away from my, uh, cousin," she insisted. "He'll want me back safe and sound. He's-well he's big in weapons dealing, you know? Really nice guy though, has an outfit kinda like yours."

Some of the Stormtroopers had moved on to whatever threat was further down the hall, but a few lingered as if waiting for Boba to give the signal that he was done with her so they could arrest her. Sutton didn't know if she'd made things worse or better when he waved the Imperial soldiers away.

"I've got this one."

She watched the soldiers march away and felt a pang of worry as to how the rest of her party had ended up. Given that they were in Cloud City now, she guessed that it wasn't much better than her.

"Alright," Boba Fett said, "you're coming with me, then. And you're cousin can pay me double for the wound you gave me."

Sutton winced at the reminder of what she'd done and nodded in agreement.

"Sure. I'll talk to him. He'll do it."

His helmet tipped sideways as if in disbelief or surprise as he gripped her arm and moved her along.

"I ever heard of this weapons dealer before? What's his name?"  
"He likes to stay on the Outer Rim," Sutton tried to dismiss. "He likes to stay discreet, you know. There's, uh, more business that way. If you know what I mean."

"I have to know who to contact for the credits."

She winced again and really hoped she'd find a way out of this before Boba Fett realized there was no rich, weapons dealer cousin actually available.

"He goes by Stark," she said.

Boba Fett nodded, and Sutton glanced wildly around the corridors.

Now would be a really great time for Luke to appear.


	16. Oneshot - Sherlock Part 1.5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the Sherlock oneshot seemed to be a popular one! This is sort of a part 1.5, I guess. It got up to almost 5 pages, so I had to bring it to a stop!

 

Uncomfortable was one word that could have been used to describe eating lunch with John Watson and Sherlock Holmes. Horribly awkward were a couple others that could easily do the trick. They sat in a small diner, John and Sherlock on one side of the table and Sutton on the other. Because they insisted, she ordered a burger and fries and by the time it arrived she was too busy trying to not appear half starved to feel unsettled that they were watching her eat. She cleaned off her entire plate, even though she'd felt stuffed only halfway through.

"Not hungry," Sherlock mused smugly to John. Sutton scowled and tossed her dirty, crumpled napkin onto her empty plate.

"Thank you," she said when John passed his credit card over to the waitress. "You didn't have to."

John smiled politely.

"Well, you obviously needed it..."

"Sutton."

Sutton couldn't tell if that was directed at the way she'd all but licked her plate clean or the fact that her stolen shirt hung off one shoulder. Either way she tried not to take it personally.

"Right, well nice to officially meet you."

"Those wounds should be looked over, don't you think John? A quick run over to Bart's would probably be best."  
Sutton's response was sharp.

"No. I'm not going to any hospitals, thank you."  
"Alright, to Baker Street then. Come along."

It was hard to mask her irritation. Couldn't he see that she was trying to spare him an extreme mental break down?

"I appreciate lunch," she said, "but I'm not going anywhere else with you two. No offense."

Sherlock was not at all put off by her snippy response. He shrugged nonchalantly as he glanced around the diner flippantly.

"It's a shame to see such a lovely young woman become entangled in an international incident."

"You can't keep using that against me!"  
"Feel free to let me know when you have a valid passport on hand."

She grit her teeth yet again, but had little choice but to comply. Perhaps he was only bluffing, but his brother was practically the British government, and she had no doubt that Sherlock would use whatever resources he had available to dig up something on her.

And be even more intrigued when he found nothing.

"I could just run off," she suggested. It hadn't worked any of the other times she'd tried it, but she wanted to see how he'd respond.

"I have quite an extensive network of intel gatherers around the city."

Sutton saw John roll his eyes and shove his credit card back in his wallet.

"Can we just get back to Baker Street and get this over with? No offense, but I do have a wife to get home to sometime today. And it really would be best to make sure there's no extensive damage. You've been limping."

Sutton ended up squeezed awkwardly between the two iconic characters on the cab ride to the famous apartment building. No one spoke and she was forced to either stare at the back of the cab driver's head or slightly out of one of the passenger windows.

Sutton recognized the nearby café and the front door when the cab pulled up. There was a part of her that really wished she could be more excited; that she could feel that thrill of exploring a loved world again. But as it was she could only acknowledge a cautious interest and a constant awareness of the words she let out of her mouth.

Sherlock opened the door and she followed behind him, but in front of John, up a staircase to a second door that opened into a messy living room.

"Sherlock," John admonished as he eyed the mess. Books were stacked on the floor almost waist high, half-filled beakers cluttered almost every countertop, and a bloody pool cue was leaned up against the far wall. Sherlock shed his coat with a flourish and tossed it over a kitchen chair before hopping into his own armchair.

"Have a seat."

Sutton sighed and sat herself on the couch along the wall. Sherlock then motioned for John to move along.

"Go ahead," he instructed. "Do your doctor routine."  
John scowled.

"It is not a routine, Sherlock. I am an actual- you know what, never mind."  
Sutton made eye contact with John as he turned around to face her.

"Are you alright?"  
She sighed again, her left hand curling around the hem of her shirt to keep it securely covering her.

"I'd rather not."

"Would you like to mend quicker without lasting damage?"

Still, she hesitated. She really didn't need or want anyone looking her over, but it didn't seem like she'd be allowed to leave anytime soon.

"I promise to be purely professional, if that's what you're worried about. Mary 'd have me killed if I wasn't. That's my wife."

Sutton stopped herself from saying she knew that and slowly released her death grip on her shirt and nodded silently. She saw Sherlock lean forward a bit as John smiled kindly with an, "ok then".

Sutton sat stiff and unmoving as he gently prodded at the almost healed bruise around her right eye. It didn't hurt enough for her to wince about it anymore, and she kept her gaze unfocused and straight ahead. And then he went and poked at her ribs through her shirt.

Sutton let out a sharp hiss as he poked at tender flesh and sore bones. He looked up in concern at her noise.

"Is it alright if I take a look?"

Sutton wasn't one to bare her midriff, even less likely to do so when she wore a bruise half the size of her abdomen, but she nodded anyway because they'd already gotten this far. Why not? Sherlock probably already had three different guesses as to how bad the damage was.

John spared her decency and only lifted the shirt high enough to see the extent of the injury. Sutton glanced quickly down to see what they were seeing and then looked away again. The bruise had faded slightly, but not by much. It was still a deep blue and was spread at least halfway up her ribcage. John's face turned sour.

"Tell me you reported this."

"Of course I reported it."

Sherlock frowned from his chair.

"A lie."

Sutton glowered because as far as lying went she felt like just now had been one of her best performances. And technically it had been "reported". It's was just there weren't exactly 21st century police involved and it was hard to arrest someone for assault and kidnapping when they had inhuman muscles and a spaceship with guns.

John tried to press his fingertips along her ribs gently, but Sutton still clenched her jaw and balled her hands into fists.

"You could have a fractured rib," he said. "But there's not much to be done about that besides some painkillers and ice."

He felt around her knee then, having her bend and extend it as far as she was able to without pain and nodded to himself as if not surprised by the results.

"That's a bad sprain. It would probably be best to wrap it for a bit. I know Sherlock's got something like a brace around here somewhere."

Sherlock didn't break his gaze from where it had settled on Sutton.

"Bathroom," he droned. "Bottom cabinet. Should be behind the bottles of acid."  
John rolled his eyes in exasperation as he stood up.

"Of course. Why not? No, no, I'll get it."

Sutton watched John go feeling extremely exposed and known under Sherlock's stare. She picked at her nails while gazing about at the wallpaper and the skull that sat on the fireplace mantel and let the silence simmer.

"Given the extent of your injuries, your lack of desire to press charges, and your substantial reaction to first seeing me, I can only assume that your attacker was no mere thug. You had a more intimate relationship with them."

Intimate? She didn't like the way that sounded. As if the damage had been done by an abusive boyfriend that she hadn't had the resources to leave.

"Aren't you just full of opinions," she said instead. She didn't feel like confirming or denying his statement. And besides, wouldn't a person who didn't understand how Sherlock was get defensive and annoyed? Well, she was probably doing just fine with both those things, honestly. Sherlock merely hummed in response and John finally came back with the brace, sending Sherlock jumping out of his chair and onto his feet when John started trying to fit it on her.

"Let the girl have a wash, John. Look at her."

"Sherl-"

"Wow, ok-"  
"It's no trouble at all," Sherlock plowed on through. "Feel free to use the shampoo, towels are in the cupboard."

There were a thousand different ways she could respond, and Sutton was sure he planned on cataloguing whichever reaction she went with. The first choice was to obviously play the stranger-danger card and refuse to undress in anyone's bathroom, locked or not. It might tell too much to just accept the hospitality. But... she'd been playing the hostile and distrustful card since she'd bumped into them, and the bliss of a shower was a significant temptation. In the end she went for the not-happy-but-I'll-do-it acceptance route and left the living room as Sherlock tried to persuade John to make a pot of tea before he left.

Sometime in the middle of her trying to thoroughly rinse out her hair, Sutton heard a quick knock at the door and the announcement that there were some clean clothes outside the bathroom door. Sutton eyed her hanging undergarments that she'd already washed in the shower and debated doing the same for her clothes. Borrowed clothes meant staying. Borrowed clothes meant Sherlock came that much closer to figuring out her secret.

But he hadn't been wrong about the amount of time she'd spent in those clothes. They were gross, and there was nothing worse than putting filthy clothes back on after finally getting clean.

She put on damp undergarments and the clean clothes, a pair of sweats and a too big t-shirt, and opened the bathroom door fully while clutching her bundle of soiled fabric.

"Is there a washing mach-"

The clothes were snatched from her arms and it took her a couple blinks to realize that Sherlock had taken them and dashed for the kitchen. It took her a couple more seconds to remember that the kitchen was where he kept his microscopes. She bolted after him, the short hall allowing her to see that he was already seated with her old shirt underneath a microscope. John was nowhere in sight to call on for help.

"Wait, you can't do that! That's- that's a violation of privacy!"  
"Examining the dirt particles on you clothing is a violation of privacy?"

"Yes!"  
Sherlock shrugged without looking up or giving any sign that he was going to stop.

"Well, as far as all the things I've done that are considered "not good" this is hardly the worst."

Sutton tried to make a grab to yank the shirt out from under the lens of the device, but Sherlock angled his body to block her. Her hand snapped away before making contact with his shirt or skin and she let out a little huffy breath. Her own reaction made her scowl.

_He is_ _not_ _Khan! What is wrong with you?_

But still, she was effectively kept from retrieving the incriminating articles by her own anxiety.

He would see something wasn't right if she let him keep looking. In general, universes didn't didn't contain faint splashes of orc blood or missed crumbles of lembas bread. If Sherlock spotted any foreign substances, she was in for one heck of a stay in this universe.

A few minutes of Sutton standing awkwardly and wringing her hands later, and Sherlock's shoulders tensed as he closely examined a dark stain on her shirt.

"Impossible," she heard him mutter under his breath.

He stood in one swift movement and tossed her clothes in a couple plastic bags while grabbing his coat once more.

"I need the lab," he said. Sutton wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or her.

"No, no, no! You need to give me my clothes and leave me alone!"

"Are you coming or not?"

Once again, she had little choice. She looked like a poor street urchin as she followed Sherlock out of his apartment. If John hadn't left while she was in the shower maybe she wouldn't be in this situation, but the traitor had left her at Sherlock's mercy and it just wasn't fair. The borrowed sweats, shirt, and sweater were all far too big, especially since she'd lost a bit of needed weight recently.

Sherlock hailed another cab and he actually gestured for her to get in before he did. Sutton was certain it was only to make sure she didn't try bolting. But bolting wouldn't work here. Nothing was free _and_ she had no form of identification. Not a great combination.

When he said 'lab' he, of course, meant Bart's. Sutton wasn't sure what sorts of resources they had at the hospital that he didn't have at home, but it wasn't long before he was throwing open a set of swinging double doors with a dramatic flourish. She followed a ways behind him and heard the startled, _"Sherlock!"_ before she saw the actual person. Molly Hooper stood in a white lab coat and clutched a dirty scalpel as she stared in surprise at the interruption.

"I thought you'd gone for the day," she said. Her eyes darted over to Sutton and her brow furrowed even farther. "And who's this?"  
"Molly meet Sutton, Sutton- Molly."

"Um, hello-"

"Give me the shirt!"  
Sutton tried again to save the dying pieces of fabric from his inspections, but he merely held the bags over her head and her knee wasn't strong enough to allow her to leap for it.

Her dignity hadn't quite dropped that low yet either.

Molly put her scalpel down and took off the safety glasses that had perched at the end of her nose.

"What is going on? Sherlock is this about a case?"  
"No!"  
"It is now."

The pathologist looked between both of the invaders in her lab and huffed out a confused breath that spoke of a waning patience.

"This better be important, Sherlock. I was just getting some work done."

"I need scissors," he said instead of acknowledging her statement. "I need to run a few different tests on these."

Sutton looked to Molly, a desperate pleading in her eyes as she beseeched her fellow woman.

"Isn't there anything you can do to stop him? I mean, seriously."

Molly let out a little giggle, as if Sutton had asked her to bring the corpse back to life instead of just getting Sherlock under control.

"If there's one thing I don't think anyone but his mum can do, it's that."

Sutton ran a hand through her still wet hair and groaned. Her stay here was going to be everything but easy.


	17. Oneshot - Sherlock 2?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another Sherlock part, because it seemed to be popular on ffn.

Sutton was failing at not fidgeting as Molly Hooper joined Sherlock in peering down the eye of the microscope. The pathologist hummed lightly with a perplexed sort of sound and adjusted some of the dials. 

“I don’t think I’ve seen anything like this,” she finally said. “Some of the structures are definitely blood platelets, but it almost appears to be, well, tainted. Perhaps some sort of poison mixed in? But no. It seems to be part of the organic structure. What is this, Sherlock? Another one of your silly tests? I won’t be made fun of in my own l-”  
“Quite the contrary, Molly,” Sherlock interrupted. “I’m just as baffled by the sample as you are.”

Molly leaned away from the microscope and blinked widely. Sutton went suddenly still. Both Sherlock and Molly turned to look at her. Sutton held up both hands. 

“ _ I  _ don’t have a degree in medicine or biology,” she argued. “Don’t look at me.”

“You must have some idea of what it is; it  _ is  _ your shirt.”   
Sherlock stood up, his hands were clasped behind his back and Sutton could feel the tension as he went back into interrogation mode. The sharp look in his eye had her struggling for breath as she eased back. 

_ Not him; not him! _

“I borrowed it.”

“And yet you acted so defensive over it when I took it. As if you were afraid of what I’d find.” 

“It looked like blood,” she snapped. “I didn’t want the person who gave it to me to get in trouble!”

 

Molly looked startled and Sherlock still had a determined glint in his eye. Sutton tried to keep the panic at bay. He wasn’t going to give up until she gave him some sort of explanation. And she had to make it believable enough for him to buy it. Or at least buy it until she figured out how to get out of here. She pinched the bridge of her nose to stall with the added bonus of giving herself an air of defeat. Peeking out from over her fingers, she saw she still had both people’s rapt attention. 

“I’m just trying to keep you out of this,” she said. Sherlock looked more intrigued and she fought back a smile as she continued on. “But you keep insisting on pushing this. Listen, if I tell you  _ some _ of what is really going on, will you leave me alone?

Molly moved to stand next to Sherlock, obviously curious to hear Sutton’s story as well and Sherlock shrugged. 

“It’s worth a try.”   
Sutton didn’t appreciate his cheek. But she had to make this good, had to make it count. She made sure to not break eye contact. 

“I’ve got a cousin, ok? He’s into… some stuff. Ugh, don’t look at me like that.” She lowered her voice as if they might be overheard. “Arms deals sort of stuff? Ok? I, uh, I try to stay out of it. I don’t want that sort of life. But, things happen. Someone who doesn’t like him, um, dragged me in. I got away. Now, I’m dealing with it. So, thanks for all your help, really! But I’ve got it from here.”

She finally broke eye contact to nod at Molly and stepped back. Part of her felt quite elated. That had to be the best lie she’d ever told! She hadn’t broken eye contact once and her story had come out rather smoothly, if she did say so herself. 

“What’s his name?”   
Sutton almost flinched, but she caught herself just in time. She almost gnawed on her lip, but she caught that too. 

“I-I’m not telling you! You work with cops. I’m not a complete idiot. I’ve told you too much already.”  
“Right,” Sherlock nodded in agreement. “If your cousin finds out you gave up his name, he’ll have you killed.”   
Sutton instantly bristled. 

“No he wouldn’t!”    
  


The moment the defensive tone rolled off her tongue, she knew she shouldn’t have used Tony as a stand-in cover, even as an inside joke. She wasn’t a practiced liar to begin with and she was obviously protective of him. Which was ridiculous because he didn’t even make weapons anymore and they weren’t even really talking about him. 

She hoped that her slip up hadn’t ruined her lie. 

Molly shot Sherlock The Look. 

“Don’t be rude, Sherlock. She’s obviously been through a lot already.” She turned her attention back to Sutton after Sherlock huffed in annoyance. “You don’t have to be afraid,” she told Sutton. “Sherlock knows people who can help, don’t you?” 

Sutton’s lips pressed together fleetingly as she quickly calculated the possible candidates that Molly could be talking about. Only one person came to mind. There was only one person who had more pull and better connections for a person wanting to go into hiding. 

Mycroft Holmes. 

The Mycroft Holmes who was supposedly even smarter than Sherlock, though she’d never say that aloud. Sherlock had already found the foreign blood stain on her shirt, but to invite over Mycroft? That would be the absolute worst case scenario. 

“I’m fine; thank you,” she insisted. “All I really need to do is make a phone call and-”

Sherlock pulled out his cell phone. 

“Not a problem. What's the number?”

 

He was goading her, Sutton realized. He probably hadn't believed one ounce of her story, but was going along to see how far she'd take it. He probably wanted to see how long it took for her to mess up. And odds were in his favor with that, unfortunately. 

“Nice try,” she said after what might have been a second too long hesitation. “That's traceable. I'll, uh, use a pay phone.”

“Ah, yes. With that pouch of change you surely have.” 

 

Where had she heard something like that before? Oh, right. Clint. Why was she always finding herself penniless with people knowing her business? And why did they always feel the need to call her out on it? 

“I'm resourceful.”

“No doubt.”

 

He gathered up the spare scraps of clothes left over and shoved the bag in his coat pocket.

“Thank you, Molly. If you wouldn't mind running a basic chemical analysis on those and texting me the results? Wonderful!” 

Sutton shook her head.

“You don't have to do that. I’d actually prefer-”

“We’ll just be off!”

She wanted to protest, the words were in her mouth and everything, but the Sherlock was in her space and corralling her towards the doors without even touching her. She let out an audible growl of a cry as she shuffled away from him. 

“It was nice meeting you,” Molly called from the back of the lab. “Good luck! You'll probably need it.” 

 

Sutton tried walking the opposite direction that Sherlock was headed once they exited the hospital, but that went as well as any of her other plans had. He grabbed a handful of the baggy sweatshirt she wore and dragged her along that way.

“If you're trying to hide from organized crime, you're obviously not very experienced with it.”

“Let me go, Sherlock!”

“And if you cause a scene law enforcement is sure to ask a few questions you aren't

prepared to answer.”

 

That shut up the next few protests she had. 

 

Baker Street greeted them once more and Sutton trudged up the stairs behind the bull headed detective. She sent a prayer up that Molly accidentally ruined the samples before any results came through. 

“You're not going to actually tell anyone about me, are you,” she asked while Sherlock opened the apartment door. “Like, you’re not going to say anything to the British government.” 

“Sherlock Holmes trying to keep secrets from the British government is nothing new.”

Sutton froze in the doorway and Sherlock scoffed as he shed his coat. 

“You're getting slow, Mycroft.” 

Mycroft was sitting primly in the chair across from the door, his umbrella was propped against the armrest and he was smiling at them in an entirely superficial way. If Murphy’s Law was a human she could punch in the nose Sutton would be seriously considering it. 

Mycroft peered around Sherlock and eyed Sutton briefly.

“What's this, Sherlock? John swim away so you had to find yourself a new one?”

It took every ounce of her self control to pretend that she didn't know what he was talking about. And to try and pretend that she wasn't insulted by it. 

“Don't be tedious, Mycroft. You wouldn't be here if you really thought that.”

 

Sutton still hadn’t moved as she watched Sherlock hop into his own chair to engage in a staring contest with his brother. Perhaps if she just quietly edged out of the room…? 

“If you’d wait a moment, miss, my brother is right. This visit isn’t merely a social call.”    
Gritting her teeth in a grimace, she moved away from the door and tried to school her features into an innocent expression. 

“I don’t see what this has to do with me,” she prodded. “I don’t know either of you.”

Mycroft pressed his thin lips together in what might have been a mockery of sympathy. He reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a tablet only slightly larger than a phone. 

“This was recorded today,” he said. “Any of it seem familiar?”

 

An uneasy feeling twisted in her gut as he held out the device and Sherlock plucked it from his grasp. Sutton scooted behind him to see the screen and was frozen by what she saw. It seemed to be footage picked up by a traffic camera or street surveillance.  The street didn’t seem familiar, but it didn’t take but a moment for her to realize that she had, indeed, seen it before. A steady crowd of people on the sidewalk could be seen in the background, and the edge of a dumpster sat in the foreground. For a moment it seemed like boring stock footage. And then a bright light shone and whited out the entire scene. The camera footage flickered before returning to it’s normal setting, and the scene came back into view. The camera must have been close, and the light not so bright, because no one on the sidewalks seemed to notice the event, save for one street performer who’d been near the entrance to the alleyway.

There were feet poking out from behind the dumpster now. Sutton paled. 

The street performer stood and edged further into the alley, peering around the dumpster they jumped back startled at finding a body lying on the ground. Her stomach was actually in knots as the stranger leaned over the body. And then rage clashed with the fear. 

The street performer backed away carrying a slim silver case. She watched as the person exited the alley without a backward glance. Sutton felt like she might be sick.

A few seconds later the legs behind the dumpster stirred and Sutton watched herself emerge from behind the bin and stumble out onto the sidewalk. When she finally dared to look down at Sherlock, he was already staring up at her with even more intrigue than he’d been showing before. And then she realized that she’d just seen a street artist steal from her: steal the case of all her things!    
  


Her watch! The moving photograph! Her color changing hair tie! Impossible things!

 

Sutton wobbled behind his chair and gripped the seat so she wouldn’t fall over. 

“Frick,” she cursed. “Frick! Frick-frack applejack!”

She wasn’t even thinking about what Mycroft and Sherlock might think as she dashed for the door. All she knew was that she needed to get that case back. That watch might be the only thing that was able to keep her grounded back on Marvel earth. And if any of those items were seen by anyone the ramifications could be horrible. 

Sutton threw open the apartment door and started down the stairs, surprised protests only faintly registering in the background. The stairs flew under her feet and she somehow managed not to tumble down them in her haste. 

How had she not realized the case was gone sooner? She was so stupid! It was the one thing she had and she hadn’t even remembered it was supposed to be in her pocket. It was all Sherlock’s fault! If he hadn’t been so insistent and suspicious of her, she probably would have noticed sooner.

Her hand curled around the front door handle and she yanked the door open only to have it harshly shut again in response. She knew it was Sherlock because Mycroft probably didn’t move that fast, and she actually recognized his hand. He was catching his breath a little before he cleared his throat and spoke. 

“If you wouldn’t mind joining us back upstairs, Miss Sutton. I believe we have a few things to discuss.”

 


	18. Oneshot - A Little Too Meta

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @Ravishing_Melancholy! Sorry it took me so long!

Sutton was absolutely horrified. Nothing could have prepared her for an encounter like this. She wouldn’t have ever even believed someone if they’d tried to warn her beforehand. She rubbed at her eyes as the intruder stood in the middle of the Tower living room and waved cheerily. 

“No way,” Sutton insisted. “You’re not supposed to-”

“Exist in this universe? I know right. But hey, I figured if you could hop around, why couldn’t I? And what are they gonna do? Nail me with copyright infringement? Ha!”  
Sutton sputtered as she tried to process what he’d said. 

“You-you know about me?” 

The man in tight red leather placed a hand on his hip and leaned forward, waving the opposite hand down in a quick move.

‘Puh-lease! You’re like the cover-kid for universal hopping! How could I not? I think you might be competing with me for most meta references. Don’t, by the way.” He sounded suddenly serious and pointed one finger at her sternly. “It’s all I got.”

Sutton blinked and swallowed nervously. 

“I’ll try to control myself,” she said. She hesitated. “Deadpool.”

The mask pulled up at the sides and Sutton assumed he was smiling. 

“Great!”

She watched as he moved across the room and squatted down to eyeball the plate of scones she’d made earlier. The katanas strapped to his back clacked together as he moved. There were also several knives and guns attached to various parts of his body. Sutton forced her eyes away from them.

“Uh, you can have some if you want.”

He hopped up and snatched a couple off the plate. 

“Awesome! Thanks!” Sutton watched warily still as he lifted half his mask up in order to eat. His skin was pocketed and red all over, truly unsettling to look at.

“Hey,” he drawled in between bites. “You didn’t just offer me some because you thought I’d kill you otherwise, right?”   
  


Sutton, who had been trying to discretely text Steve “ _ Danger Level “Crazy”. Require assistance”,  _ looked up quickly and shook her head. 

“No! Of course not,” she reassured. “There’s just plenty to go around. And universe hopping can really drain you. Don’t you think? I mean, how did you manage it?”  
Deadpool grinned widely, looking completely relaxed. He held up a pointer finger triumphantly. 

“If you know the names of the author’s family members and where they live, you’d be amazed at what you can make happen!”   
Sutton’s false smile flickered. 

“Oh man. I mean- which comic book writers do you know?”

“Oh,” said Deadpool. “It wasn’t a comic book writer this time. This lady is a smaller fish.  _ Really _ hates spiders though.” He laughed.

**Sutton didn’t want to know. She really didn’t. **


	19. AU Oneshot - Secrets and Soulmates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Jackie's fault.

Sutton fidgeted nervously with her cuff, glad that she'd actually been wearing it since she was eighteen years old. Had been wearing it since her Mark had first bloomed across the skin of her right wrist.

 _Steven Grant Rogers_ hadn't been a real person a couple of days ago. Steven Grant Rogers had been a comic book character and her lifelong humiliation.

No one had fictional characters as their Soulmate. It just didn't happen.

But now the Avengers were loitering around her living room and she wasn't sure how to process everything. She wasn't sure if she should say anything at all.

They had Soulmates too. She'd seen _Virginia Potts_ looping over Tony Stark's wrist and the revelation terrified her. Steve Roger's Match remained a mystery to her. She was too afraid to look.

"-use, Wren?"  
Sutton gnawed at her lip and twisted the cuff in another circle.

"Wren?"

She looked up at the insistent tone and blinked. Oh, right! She was Wren. Gosh, she hardly ever heard that name.

"Hmm? Yes?"  
"I asked if you had any spare paper and pens we could use. We really gotta start getting this math figured out if we ever want to get back home."

"Oh, sure thing. There's some in the junk drawer in the kitchen."  
Steve pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning on.

"I'll grab some," he said.

Sutton nodded once before her eyes flew open and she leapt off the couch.

"Actually, no! I got it! You're, uh, a guest, right? Don't-don't worry about it."

She rushed passed him to beat him to said drawer. Her heart raced at the close call as she pulled it open and peered inside. Her mail sat right on top. Right where anyone could see it.

Addressed to Sutton Regan.

Sutton placed a hand to her chest in relief and sighed.

_Too close._

If she wanted to keep her real name a secret she'd have to be more careful. Flipping all the mail over so only the blank backs of the envelopes showed, she grabbed a few leaves of loose paper and a couple pens, then slid the drawer shut again. When she turned around, Steve was right behind her and she jumped in surprise.

" _Gah! Oh!"_ She cleared her throat. "Sorry. For someone so big, you sure are quiet."

Steve gave her a sheepish smile as he peered casually around her towards the drawer. Sutton subtly edged in front of it.

"Need any help," he asked. Sutton raised a brow.

"Thank you, but I think I got it. It's just paper and pens." She smirked cheekily. "If I need help with the spaghetti sauce jar tonight, though, I'll make sure to ask you first."  
Steve's lips twisted up slightly and Sutton's heart fluttered. He nodded once.

"Alright. Sounds fair."

She chewed on her bottom lip a moment, staring up at him without realizing it. He was everything she'd ever imagined. Even more than the movies had made him, because he was real and human. How many times had she scoffed at the Mark fate had dealt her, and then secretly wondered what he'd be like?

And yet, she still couldn't have him.

Steve cocked his head at her.

"Sure you don't need help?"  
Sutton blinked and straightened her spine, suddenly realizing that she'd been zoning out.

"Ha! Just- just thinking about, uh, what to put with the spaghetti. I'll, um- I'll get this to the science team."  
She shuffled her weight from foot to foot for a moment before squeezing past him out of the small kitchen and back to the living room.

After dropping the paper and pens down in front of Tony and Bruce, she listened. But she didn't hear any drawers opening. And even though Steve took a moment to come back to the living room, she didn't think he'd gone through anything.

**[]**

That evening she already had the noodles boiling when she went to get the sauce ready. She pulled out two jars and hoped that'd be enough to cover all the extra newcomers and their appetites. If college hadn't put her in enough debt, feeding another seven people on her paycheck would.

Sutton gripped the lid of one jar and twisted. But the jar was sealed tight. Letting out a quiet, frustrated grunt, she twisted harder.

It didn't budge.

Out came the handy hand-towel.

But that only slid around the lid.

She tried knocking the lid on the edge of the counter.

Nothing.

She sighed in exasperation. Never had she had this much of a problem with these things! Usually, if anything, the countertop trick always worked.

Sutton shuffled to the edge of the kitchen to peer into the living room, her face twisting in an irritated defeat. Steve was actually watching as she appeared. His lip twitched and Sutton squinted.

"What's up," he asked. She huffed.

"I'm actually, _mm_ , having trouble with those jars."

There was a laugh from near the television.

"Can't open a jar," Clint goaded. Sutton sneered.

"Can you get a solo movie?"  
Clint shot her a glare and muttered about cheap shots. Steve stood up and made his way over to her.

"I can get it," he said. Sutton followed him to the sauce jars and watched as he effortlessly popped them open. The muscles in his arms didn't even strain. She crossed her own arms and leaned back on one foot.

"It's weird, because I can usually get them open fine." Steve merely shrugged.

"Just glad I could help."  
Sutton moved to dump the sauce in a pot and heat it on the stove. Steve stuck around, offering more assistance. She figured he might've been desperately trying to get away from the team, so she threw him a bone and had him chopping veggies for a salad.

It was weird and thrilling to be doing something so domestic with him. She couldn't help but throw glances his way as she got the garlic bread ready. The cuff hung heavy on her wrist.

"Wren?"

Sutton caught on quicker this time.

"Yeah?"  
Steve shifted, scraped the cut vegetables from the cutting board into a giant bowl she'd pulled out.

"Would you mind if I asked a personal question?"  
She stilled a moment, garlic bread just touching the pan, before she forced herself to continue on.

"Um, sure."  
Steve turned to face her fully and leaned against the kitchen counter. Sutton nervously tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Why do you cover your Mark?"  
"Oh."

_Crap, crap, crap._

Habitually, she reached up and fiddled with the cuff. Made sure it was still covering her Mark.

"Um, well, it's complicated," she said. Steve merely watched her, open and curious. It was a fair question, even if personal. Not many felt the need to cover their Mark. Most displayed it proudly. Most people's Soulmates actually existed.

"It's just, uh, I never found them? And I didn't want to look at it everyday." She tried to shrug uncaringly. "You know."

"I haven't found mine either."  
Sutton stopped playing with the cuff and couldn't help but look at his wrists briefly. His Mark still wasn't visible. At least not with the long sleeve shirt he was wearing. A shirt that fit him very nicely.

"Oh," Sutton questioned. "It, um. It wasn't-"

"Peggy?" Steve finished for her. He shook his head. "No. I still cared, do care, about her a lot. But, no. We never had each other's names."

He took a breath and rolled up the sleeve of his right arm. Flashes of dark ink caught her eye in scrawling letters. She tried to ignore it and slide the pan of bread in the oven.

"Sutton Wren Regan," he said. "Funny, that you share a name."

The pan slipped from her hands and landed with a loud crash on the linoleum floor. Sutton rushed to clean up the mess and Steve crouched down to help scoop up the bread.

"I wasn't paying attention," she muttered. "I've got such butterfingers."  
Once the bread was all back on the pan, Sutton sprang to her feet and attempted once more to slide it in the oven. Steve was oddly quiet.

"Thanks for helping, by the way." She began to ramble. "It was very nice of you. And the jar thing was a total fluke, not sure what was up with that. But I think the salad will be great-"  
"Sutton?"  
She turned her head.

"Yeah?"

Her voice abruptly died as she froze. Like a deer in the headlights, she stared up at Steve with wide eyes as her skin went cold. Steve was just as still.

"Sutton _Wren_ Regan." He took a hesitant, half-step forward. "Wren isn't exactly a common name."

Her hand went to her cuff. Clutched it.

Steve closed the distance between them. His hands rose up and cradled her right wrist as he maintained eye contact with her. Her hand dropped away, didn't try to stop him. His fingers hovered over the clasp of the cuff, and he looked at her one more time. Sutton just barely tilted her head down.

The clasp snapped open, and she could hear him breathe in sharply as his name was exposed. She shivered as he delicately rubbed his thumb over the dark ink.

"Why," he asked. "Why didn't you say something when you knew all along? Why did you try to lie?"

Sutton swallowed and her gaze flickered around the room. Everywhere but his face.  
"You're going back." She managed to choke out. "Why-why bother?"

Steve shook his head, pressing his lips together.

"No matter what happens, you think I wouldn't want to know?"

Sutton's face heated and she pulled away, turning her wrist down so that his name wasn't visible anymore. Steve frowned, but caught on when he saw her gaze flicker to the living room.

"Let's go outside for a second."

She let him lead her out the sliding glass door, his hand resting on her upper back. Let herself wonder at the fact that she was actually being touched by her Soulmate.

A week ago, Sutton wouldn't have believed this would happen in her wildest dreams.

The sliding door clicked shut and both of them idled on the back patio. Sutton rubbed at her arms and let out a puff of air.

"I wasn't sure you even had my name," she said quietly. Steve watched her. She stopped rubbing her arms and grabbed her right wrist again. "When it first showed up, I was so proud of it." She laughed emptily. "I didn't know Captain America's real name at that point. I didn't cover it; I showed it off. Finally, there was something I got to have that everyone else did. And maybe mine was even better? We had matching initials and everything. Maybe we were those destined Soulmates like in the movies."

She looked up at Steve as she twisted her lips.

"It didn't take long for some kid at school to point out that my Soulmate didn't exist. That he was some comic book character that I'd never meet. You can imagine how quickly that spread around. So forgive me for being a little hesitant when you appear out of thin air and are- are actually here?"

The wind rustled leaves gently as a timid silence rang between them.  
"I'm sorry."

Sutton ran a hand through her hair again and huffed.

"You're sorry? Why should you be sorry? You- you're perfect."  
"I'm really not," Steve insisted. "But," his lips twisted up in a gently teasing smile, "it's nice to know I'm starting out on a good foot."

She rubbed at her face as an odd wave of shyness swept over her. This wasn't anything like she'd ever imagined. Granted, there wasn't a way she could have ever anticipated this meeting actually happening.

"So, do you, _um_ , want to help me finish dinner?"  
Steve grinned.

"I'd love to."


	20. Sherlock 3

Sutton was finally back in clothes that fit as she trailed after Sherlock down a busy London sidewalk. It irked her that he was still essentially blackmailing her into sticking around. But now he had something more substantial than just the absence of a passport. Now he had that stupid video of her appearing out of thin air.

She'd somehow gotten out of telling him and Mycroft the actual truth. With some stuttering and pure refusal to talk, she'd managed to just annoy them and not give anything detrimental away. That didn't mean they were going to stop trying to find out. Sherlock surely thought of it as a challenging puzzle game now.

It was probably the only reason he'd agreed to help her find her case.

That and he thought he'd get to see what she so desperately wanted back when they found it.

Her pace was slower than his, as her legs were considerably shorter, but he let her tag-along behind, no longer worried that she'd run off at the first opportunity. Sutton was a little miffed that she couldn't. Really, she just didn't appreciate Sherlock's smug attitude about it all. Here she was just trying to be  _kind_  to his mental state, and yet-

Someone bumped shoulders with her, and Sutton staggered a bit to the side. She righted herself and turned to glare at the inconsiderate passerby, when she caught a glance of the suspect almost towering over the crowd. Her lungs seized as she sucked in a breath and her stomach fluttered.

"Loki?"

It wasn't quite Loki, but she'd seen him look like this before. When the government agents had come to her house and he'd come out as a distraction. His hair was short and lighter, eyes blue instead of green, and he walked with a different sort of confidence that she couldn't name.

Normally, he would be one of the last people she'd want to run into, but situations had changed. Tony must have worked out a way to get him to travel through dimensions to come get her back. She saw Loki cut his eyes to look back at her as he continued on in the opposite direction. He must want her to follow him, subtly.

Sutton darted a glance back at Sherlock. He hadn't noticed her absence yet, and she took the opportunity. She bolted down the sidewalk as fast as she could with her hurt knee, keeping the light shock of hair in sight as he strode at a steady pace. Eventually, he turned a corner down a quieter street, and Sutton hurried faster.

"Loki! Wait, you jerk."

She rounded the corner, gaze darting around to see which way he'd gone, only to notice a waiting silhouette down an adjacent alleyway. With a sigh, she dropped her shoulders and trudged down the pavement. As she came closer, his features came into light. He was staring intently at her, eyes boring through her in a way that was entirely too discomforting. As if he were trying to figure something secret about her out.

"I don't know how Tony got you to do it," she said, "but you better not be playing any games. I just want to get back home in one piece."

He tilted his head to the side. Sutton noticed that he was doing a decent job of blending in. The coat and shoes he was wearing looked incredibly English; though she probably shouldn't have expected anything less.

"Oh, but games are so much fun," he finally said.

Sutton groaned deep in her throat.

"There's no time. I need to get my case back, and then we have to go. Sherlock has probably already-"

"Found you."

Her eyes shut at the familiar deep voice. Why not? Nothing was easy, was it? The last thing she needed was for Sherlock to meet Loki. Oh gosh, no. It'd be true chaos.

"Sherlock," she said with a chirp as she twisted back around. "I wasn't running off, I swear. I was just….taking a quick detour."

But he wasn't even looking at her. His gaze was locked on Loki, and there was a stiffness to his features that put her on edge.

"Funny," he said in a flat tone. "You seem to recognize a lot of people I know."

Sutton faltered, her gaze darting between both of the men. Loki smiled.

"What?"

"Sherlock," Loki said. He tilted his head in a brief greeting, the smile growing wider on his face the entire time. Sherlock's lips pressed together thinly.

"Sherrinford."

"What," Sutton repeated. "Sherrinford?"

"My brother." Sherlock supplied.

"Your pet seemed fond of addressing me as  _Loki_. A curious thing, isn't she?"

Her head was reeling. Brother? Was this- was this  _not_  Loki? But the third brother? He just had to have that face?

She was in entirely too much trouble.

"We've never met," she tried to defend. "I thought- You look kind of like someone else I knew. The lighting isn't great back here. But, um, oh. Yeah. Now that I look, you're definitely not him. So weird. Sorry about the confusion."

"Mycroft has been looking for you," Sherlock said; completely ignoring her statement. Sherrinford laughed in amusement.

"Oh, I'm sure he has."

Sutton hedged backwards. The conversation wasn't steering towards a direction she felt comfortable with. Sherlock's tone and disposition weren't exactly comforting, and a voice in her head asked what the odds were that all three Holmes boys would turn out to be genius with a heroic leaning. You could only strike gold so many times, and chances were that she had just willingly followed the black sheep of the family.

"Ms. Regan," Sherrinford chided. "Please do stick around. This whole, grand family reunion is on your behalf, after all."

Sutton froze at the edge of the alley; she'd gotten so close! But the tips of her fingers tingled and the sensation swept up her arms and over her torso.

"How do you know my name," she asked. Her voice shook slightly as she eyed the Loki look-alike with new wariness. He grinned at her and simply reached inside his coat.

"There's a book in here that I believe is signed to you."

Silver shimmered in the available light and Sutton paled. He had her case.

He had her case!

"Where-How- That's mine," Sutton exclaimed. "Give that back!"

Even with her bad knee, she made quick time hustling back into the alley and reaching up for the case. Sherrinford simply lifted it up slightly out over her head and tsked.

"Americans," he said to Sherlock. "No manners."

"It's rude to snoop through other people's belongings," Sutton argued. And then the thought circled back around and she slapped her hands over her mouth. "You looked through my stuff." She gasped. "Oh, oh no."

"It certainly created more questions than it answered," he commented. He seemed almost thrilled by her horror. Sherlock's frown deepend.

"What is in the case," he asked. "Besides a book, of course."

"No," said Sutton.

Sherrinford's eyes gleamed.

"Oh, brother. I'm afraid it would positively ruin you." Sherlock scoffed.

"Unlikely. Though it has to be something big to garner your attention. I wouldn't have pegged you as idiotic enough to come out in the open like this for mere trinkets."

Sutton had a very, very bad feeling about this.

"It's just personal things," she insisted. "Sentimental stuff."

"You and Mycroft were always the less imaginative ones," Sherrinford said. "Things have to fit in their given places with you. Everything has to make sense."

"Shut up," snapped Sutton. Both men snapped to actually pay attention to her, and Sutton glowered. Her limbs were trembling, but she stood her ground. Even still, she couldn't quite meet their gazes.

Two super geniuses stood before her, one looked like Loki and the other like… like Khan. Her stomach wasn't exactly feeling settled.

For the moment her glare was directed at the youngest Holmes boy. He was taunting Sherlock, egging him on, trying to give him subtle, jabbing clues. Sutton couldn't let him do that. She could barely accept the fact that he had  _looked at her things._  He knew.

Oh gosh. He'd seen the moving picture, and the color changing hair tie, and her book from Jane Austen. And she'd confirmed her name to him without even knowing what that meant.

Sherrinford was still eyeing her curiously. Sutton fidgeted.

"You know my brother," he said. His tone was light, almost casual, but Sutton could tell there was something behind it. She hesitated.

"Of course." She finally scoffed. "I met him almost a week ago."

"No. You know him. You know what this would do to him. You're trying to save him."

"I'm right here," Sherlock snapped. "And Mycroft is on his way now. Might as well hand over the case."

Sherrinford rolled his eyes.

"Tattled on me again, Sherlock? Are we really going to continue being so childish?"

"No one is getting the case except me," Sutton insisted. "It's mine."

Sherlock held out a hand expectantly and Sutton had just about had it with the men literally talking over her. Sherrinford studied his brother's hand and then met his gaze coolly.

"If I give you the case, I want something in return of course."

Sherlock's lips twitched.

"You never were good at sharing."

"It's a trade, brother. You get the case and what's in it; you get to quench your desperate curiosity."

Sherlock hummed and Sutton twisted the fingers on her left hand nervously.

"And what is it you want to trade for? Your freedom?"

Sherrinford laughed.

"Oh no, I'll have that one way or another," he said with a wave of his hand. "What I want in return is the girl."


	21. Oneshot- UH - Like the Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This request for a POV chp. was made by a guest, so I can't exactly credit them. But this was fun to do, so thank you! This oneshot takes place during Universal Headaches when the Avengers stole Sutton's DVDs and laptop from the "locked" bathroom. Hope you all enjoy! :)

Really, they had all seen her snatch up her laptop and case of DVDs while giving them furtive glances. She had been deer-toeing it around the house after assigning them sleeping locations and had quickly disappeared into the bathroom shortly after.

And she had oh-so obviously left with the laptop and DVDs visibly tucked underneath one arm.

Honestly. She had to be one of the least subtle people they'd run across yet.

Clint flicked a finger towards the locked door lazily as he cast a glance around the room.

"She's trying to hide things from us. Are we just going to let her?"

"Let her have a few minutes to calm down," Bruce said. "Did you see her? We're lucky she didn't go into shock."

Her paleness and constant wide eyes had been abundantly noticeable, although no one was rude enough to point it out to her. Actually, her sincere, shocked reaction was part of the reason her story about them being comic characters was so believable.

"We can get it from her in the morning," Steve noted. "Dr. Banner is right. She looked terrified."

"She's not the one that supposedly got zapped to another dimension," Tony snapped. He was fidgety without anything to do with his hands and stuck in a house that looked like the landlord was neglecting some needed upkeep.

No one really thought they'd be getting any sleep after Sutton disappeared into the bathroom. Especially not with Loki free and possibly the instigator of this entire situation. Still, they drifted to their respective sleeping locations to at least rest for a few hours.

They all seemed to sift into the living room at the same time. It was early, pre-dawn, and they all were a bit more haggard than a few hours prior. Tony had a pot of coffee already made and might have been on his second cup. Clint poured a mug of his own and tried to take too large of a gulp which caused him to sputter and choke as the liquid burned his throat.

"Oh my gosh, Clint." Natasha rolled her eyes as she poured her own cup, draining the pot, and settled back on the couch. "You never learn."  
Clint had spilled a bit of his coffee in his spasm before being able to set the mug down and he stared down at it sadly as he recovered.

"Aw, coffee," he complained under his breath.

The sort of silence that settled over the room was the kind of awkward silence between people who had all been introduced at a party by a mutual friend and then left to their own devices.

"So," Steve drawled. His voice trailed off as the question was left undefined.

The seat that Thor sat in seemed ridiculously small compared to his tall, built frame.

"Do we still seek the hidden objects," he asked. His tone was the least affected, as if traversing dimensions wasn't as big of a deal for him as everyone else.

"I need that laptop," Tony confirmed. "Maybe then we can actually start making progress."

"Who's going to wake her," Steve asked.

At that Natasha smirked.

"No one is. I'll get it."  
She stood up and headed for the bathroom that was just around the corner. They could all hear the slight rattle of the doorknob and the popping of the lock being forced out of place. After a moment Natasha's head poked back into view and her lips were twisted up her face.

"You have to see this."

She had directed the statement at Clint, but the others got up as well and all crowded around the small bathroom door.

Sutton lay on the air mattress she'd shoved in the tub and curled awkwardly in the ceramic bowl. The sleeping bag had been kicked down around her feet and she had ended up lying on her hair in a way that seemed like it was pulling. Most amusing was her mouth hinged open as she made awkward wheezing noises as she breathed.

"Oh my gosh," Tony said. "Did she go on a bender in the seven seconds we weren't around?"  
"Shh," Steve scolded. "We shouldn't be spying on her like this."

Clint rolled his eyes and squeezed to the front of the group into the bathroom.

"I'll get the stuff."

The case of DVDs and laptop were plainly wedged behind the toilet, and he worked to pry them out from against the wall in the confined space. He ended up pulling too harshly and his elbow shot up, hitting the side of the tub and knocking her cell phone off the edge where it then smacked the side of her face.

The Avengers froze.

Sutton grimaced but didn't wake.

Thor winced.

"It is obvious that Lady Sutton is not used to warfare. No warrior would not wake after a strike."

"I think it was a bit obvious that she was never a threat," said Bruce.

"We really should leave," Steve insisted. "This isn't appropriate."  
"Chill, old timer," Tony said. "She's got everything covered. Besides, look at her. I'm starting to wonder how she wakes up for an alarm."

Clint finally managed to pull out the DVD case and passed it back before grabbing the laptop. The moment he had it free, it was plucked from his grasp by Tony.

"I'll take that, thank you!"  
"Shh!"  
Tony didn't even respond as he left the bathroom to go back to the living room; Bruce followed after him, probably hoping to get to work on their situation.

To Steve's horror, Natasha leaned over the tub and lifted one of the girl's arms before letting it go and watching it smack back down on the mattress. Sutton mumbled irritatedly but still kept sleeping.

"Seriously," he complained. Natasha met his unamused glare with her own smirk.

"It's good to know her range of abilities," she said. "Just in case."

"Also, it's kind of funny," said Clint.

Steve finally managed to usher everyone out of the bathroom and even though the door shut a bit louder than it could have, there was no sound of movement from behind the door.

"Are we sure she was alive just now," Clint asked. "Because maybe the stress of having strangers in her house made her keel over."  
"She was snoring a little." Natasha moved to the kitchen to make a new pot of coffee. "I think we're ok."

They knew for sure she was fine when she came staggering out from the hallway pointing an accusing finger at them with her hair wild on top her head and creases in the side of her face.

"Hey! That door was  _locked!_ "

Bruce actually shot her a cheeky smirk and she blinked as if that surprised her.

"We have two master assassins, a super soldier, a god, and men of science. I think we could figure out how to jimmy open a push lock."

Tony held up his hand for a high-five.

"And you sleep like the dead," added Hawkeye.


	22. Oneshot - UD - Catch A Falling Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we have an outside view of Sutton's arrival back to the Marvel universe! I hope you all love a fretting Tony! :)

Tony continued to follow the last known coordinates of Sutton's location. There were no reasons for her signal to have just disappeared like that. Both signals were gone, actually. His equipment wasn't faulty, Tony knew that, so it had to be something external. Perhaps a blockage of some kind? He didn't know and he didn't care. He continued to push his suit to its max while knowing in the back of his mind that he'd be too late. But he was too stubborn and desperate to let that stop him.

As he flew he angled lower in anticipation of Sutton's probable distance from the ocean surface. He could hardly see out of his helmet with his anxiety raging as it was, but he could still tell that there was nothing before him save for blue sky and incoming clouds.

_[Sir, there is a reading coming in on close range radar. Continuing on this trajectory may result in impact.]_

"With what? There's nothing out here!"  
 _[I am...uncertain, sir. Transitioning to sonar readings now.]_

"Did I install sonar in this thing?"  
Jarvis decided that question wasn't relevant or meant to be answered and shot a new image onto Tony's visor screen. A new dot blipped on a grid. It was a bit farther north of the spot Sutton had last been, and seemed to be moving much faster.

"That's too big to be a human," Tony said.

_[It is the only thing out here.]_

There wasn't much in the way of options. Whatever was flying ahead must be equipped with a jamming system or cloaking device. He was going to find out what it was regardless.

As he neared the object Tony slowed his thrusters so he wouldn't slam into whatever it was. Given how large it looked, he'd be the one that was sorry for bumping into it. He was within one hundred yards when suddenly the sky rippled and a large gray plane appeared in the air.

"Cloaking device," he muttered under his breath.

A large SHIELD logo was painted along its side.

The large bay door opened while still in flight and Tony dropped down onto the platform and was in the process of removing his suit before the door had even thought about closing. The wind roared behind him as he hurried forward.

There was a small lump under a blanket in the middle of the floor surrounded by a group of kneeling individuals. A tawny-haired woman with her hair up in a ponytail leaned over the body with fingers pressed to a throat.

"Her heartbeat is stopping! Where's the defibrillator!"

Tony's stomach fell down to his toes as he ripped himself completely out of the suit, throwing his hands down and across so all the pieces fell from him. The body on the ground had messy curls covering its face.

Someone ran back into the room with a small red box, an AED, and the blanket was thrown off the body as they worked to apply the pads to hopefully shock the heart back into motion.

It was Sutton, and she was unnaturally pale. One hand was still tightly gripped around a familiar shield, but her eyes were open and glassy. Unseeing and fully dilated. Her body jerked as an electric pulse shot through her.

"It didn't work. We're still losing her!"

Tony's knees felt weak. This shouldn't be happening.  _What_ was happening? She looked whole. She hadn't hit the ocean at 120 miles per hour. Had the shock from the machine's pull and the fall caused her to go into cardiac arrest?

One person stepped out from the group and came into focus in Tony's vision. He blinked several times and wondered if maybe he was going into shock himself.

"You!" He gasped and scowled, feeling a numb surprise and relief and anger flashing simultaneously. "You're alive!"

Coulson stood before him, looking like he might have been sheepish if there wasn't a girl dying on the floor of his plane. Tony had seen him die, and yet here he was, looking just as fit as he had before.

"What-"  
"Please," Coulson interrupted, "there's no time. I'm assuming you know this girl because you're here. She isn't going to make it if we don't act now."

There was a grunting and then a crash, and both men turned to see an Asian woman getting up off the floor with the shield in her hand.

"Got it," she said. "Dang, that girl has a good grip. Oh, and also, there was this? She's gonna have a major bruise on her hip for awhile."  
She held up a shining silver case and flipped it back and forth in her vision. Something was written on both sides.

"I think this is for you, Mr. ...Stark?"  
Coulson sighed.

"Skye.…"

The pony-tailed woman interrupted again as the defibrillator started shrieking.

"We need to get to a hospital! Her heartrate 's gone flat! This isn't working; she's still got no pulse!"

Tony lept forward and snatched the silver case. A lump formed in his throat as he read the message on one side.

_Tony - Thank you. Just in case, the watch._

He ripped open the lid and tipped the case over until a shining fob watch fell into his palm. It meant something. It was important. But more important at the moment was getting her heart to beat again.

"I can get her to a hospital faster than you can," Tony said. His voice held none of the bravado it normally did. "Give her to me."

Coulson hesitated.

"Are you sure that with your suit-"  
"I said, give her to me."

Tony threw out a hand and the pieces of his suit came flying back to him. They clamped down in their designated spots with a tinny ringing that was drowned out by the continuous shrieking from the AED. The tall, muscled male of the group quickly wrapped Sutton up in the blanket that had been draped over her and passed her to a waiting Tony.

The moment he felt she was safely secured in his grasp, Tony shot back out of the plane and rocketed through the sky.

"Jarvis, I need the closest hospital, now."

_[Already ahead of you, sir. Coordinates set.]_

**[]**

Her skin was cool when he reached the closest hospital with a good cardiologist. He told himself it was purely from the wind and her lack of protection from it. He told himself that repeatedly as he carried her through the hospital doors, sans suit, while shouting with a cracking voice.

The staff responded quickly.

Within moments Sutton was on a gurney and being run through the hospital into a surgery room. Tony ran behind them, watching as they hooked her up to oxygen, tried to restart her heart as well, watched as the heart would spike and then ultimately fizzle out.

A nurse blocked him from following any further and Tony stumbled to a stop. He couldn't breathe.

"Her heart isn't starting," he said hollowly.

"Sir, you're going to have to wait out here, understand? The doctors will do everything they can."

**[]**

He'd already called the lab and updated them in the calmest voice he could and had been sitting in agonizing silence for an unfelt period of time when a doctor finally approached him. The man's face was resigned as he shuffled forward. Tony's gut clenched painfully.

"Mr. Stark? Are you here for the girl?"  
Tony nodded.

"Are you family?"  
"I'm the closest she's got right now."  
The doctor nodded solemnly and Tony tried not to panic, not to break. His head felt light and the room faded away.

"The prognosis isn't good, I'm afraid," the doctor said. "We've gotten her as stable as we can. At the moment she's hooked up to a heart and lung machine, but the moment we unhook her, her heart will fail again. She's somehow damaged the electrical receptors in her heart. It can't get the signal to beat from the brain anymore. I'm sorry. I'm afraid there isn't much we can do for her."

Tony's mind was whirring now. She was still alive, his adrenaline spiked at the hope.

"So what does she need," he asked. "A pacemaker?"  
The doctor shook his head.

"A pacemaker really only helps regulate beating. The impulses from a pacemaker would have to be constant, basically like a twenty-four-seven generator, that forced her heart to contract. Those devices aren't built for that kind of use, and the machine she's on is really meant for open heart surgeries. It's only a temporary solution."

Tony stood silent, eyes to the ground. His hand came up and tapped on his chest. The doctor wore a bewildered face when Tony made eye contact anew, a shine in his eyes that had nothing to do with unshed tears.

"You keep her alive," he said. "I don't care what you have to do to do it. I'll be right back."  
"Mr. Stark-"  
But Tony was already halfway out the automatic door, his suit flying obediently back to him.

"Keep her alive and there might be a significant donation to your hospital in the future!"

**[]**

He barked orders the entire flight back to the Tower; instructing his ragtag team to pull an arc reactor from one of his spare suits and begin making modifications to it. They were practically finished when he landed hurriedly. He swiped the device up the moment his boots touched the ground and gave it a once over to see if it was up to par. While his reactor was merely to create a magnetic field to keep shrapnel out of his heart, this one was actually going to be powering Sutton's. It was a bit more streamlined than his original model, and had a few connector wires hanging from the bottom. It would have to do. Tony tossed a quick 'thank you' to the team, then shot right back out into the sky.

The doctor was surprised to see him again so soon, given the expression on his face, and was even more dumbfounded when Tony shoved the arc reactor into his hands.

"This will power her heart for more than one lifetime," he said. "Get it implanted as soon as you can."

The doctor sputtered, muttered something about advances in medicine, and left to do as Tony asked after receiving a look from the billionaire that allowed no alternatives.

**[]**

Pepper arrived at the hospital and Sutton was still in surgery. It couldn't have been much more complicated or invasive than pacemaker surgery, but Tony imagined the doctors were having to be creative with stabilizing the arc reactor in place around her ribcage. He fidgeted with Sutton's silver case while he sat in a stiff, plastic chair. Pepper nudged him and tried to offer another cup of coffee. When he didn't take it she sat it down and ran her fingers through his hair instead.

"You did everything you could," she said. "The doctors have it from here. You know that your reactors work. She's going to be ok."

Tony pulled her close.

**[]**

The doctors had completed her surgery and called it, so far, a wonderful success. They were keeping her in an induced coma for awhile, just to monitor how her body took to the reactor and make sure it functioned consistently for a bit longer. Tony turned the fob watch over in his hands for the hundredth time. It was warm now from him playing with it so much. The note Sutton had left on the case had seemed almost like a parting message. For her to have wasted effort on mentioning the watch was ridiculous unless it could do more than just tell time. But he couldn't tell what made it so special at face value.

He stood with a stretch and rubbed at his lower back before stopping at the nurses station and telling them he'd be back soon, and if Sutton woke while he was gone to inform him immediately. The nurses were extremely reassuring and more than accommodating. They wanted that donation.

Back at the tower the atmosphere felt less charged. Almost like someone had popped a balloon filled with static and now that energy was fading along the edges. Reed was hunched over a table asleep when Tony entered the lab, and Jane was using his equipment for some personal endeavors now. He decided she deserved it. Agent Ladino was nowhere to be seen. He'd probably scrambled off to report to higher ups the moment Sutton phased into their atmosphere.

"Is she ok?"  
Tony sat the watch on a workbench and grabbed a handheld energy reader.

"They say she's stabilizing," he said. He ran the device over the watch and sighed. "But it'll all be for nothing if there's no way to keep her in this universe."

The energy reader lit up as it processed incoming information, and Tony stopped talking to fully absorb the data. The watch was buzzing with potential energy. He clicked the case open and the reader went crazy. The energy readings were almost off the charts and were emitting at an unusual frequency that should have had the watch spat back into its own universe. And yet, it was solid and, as far as Tony could tell, stable.

He had been studying her frequency so fervently the last few months that Tony immediately recognized when Sutton's code started mingling with the watch's output.

"What the-"

He began more diagnostics as Jane eased over to see what he was doing. He'd heard, from Darcy, whose phone calls somehow always got through, that Jane was a single-minded worker who you couldn't drag away from a project. But with Sutton's situation and the fact that they were literally working around separate universes, her attention was always half focused on whatever was going on. Every once in awhile he could hear her mutter about Einstein-Rosen bridges.

"What is that?"  
Jane prodded at the watch with one of the homemade devices she'd brought and continued to insist upon using. It shot up a spark and she jerked back in surprise as she blinked at the results. Tony watched a monitor as it displayed a chart of the watch's output. It seemed to go in a cycle. Sutton's molecular code seemed to actually be pulled into watch, or that was the only signal the watch would pick up, and then it was fed back out only to repeat itself.

Tony watched it loop through a few times before he clapped his hands together loudly. A few tables away, Reed jerked up in his seat.

"It's a molecular stabilizer," Tony proclaimed. Jane peered up at the display with him, her eyes hungrily reading the data. "Genius girl! See," he pointed out. "It's a continuous cycle. The watch is actually taking in the code, removing her personal strand of data, and pumping it back out as if it's a baseline world code."

Jane perked up. Both scientists came to the same conclusion at the same time.

"If that's in close proximity to her," Jane said, "then her body may be fooled into thinking she's back in her own universe. Her molecular code would be stable permanently."

Tony laughed for the first time in awhile.

"Finally!"

**[]**

Sutton had to go back into surgery in order to have the stabilizer put in place, and by the time Tony was done modifying it, it looked very little like a pocket watch. There was no way to implant it as a watch, and there was no way they could risk just having her carry it open and on her person for the rest of her life. It had to be added to the arc reactor.

There was no avoiding the spread the watch parts added, and she would scar, but it was necessary.

Tony waited at the hospital until the doctors told him the surgery was successful.

And then he waited some more for her to wake up.


	23. Garbage, AKA AU to My AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was posted awhile ago on ffn...but basically I wrote this to get out of a writing funk and it is one of my shames.

"It is my Soul Mark," said Thor. "Peoples of all the realms are born with them."

Sutton snorted lightly and glanced about the room; no one else was laughing. Her eyes landed on Loki, who appeared to be the least concerned about the conversation, and she crinkled her face in disbelief.

"Soulmates, really? You all have soulmates?"

She noticed that he tensed considerably, an intense sheen flickering through his eyes as they landed on her. Sutton bristled. Thor had an odd look on his face as well, almost shock, and she felt humbled by it.

"I'm not making fun of you guys," she clarified. "It's just such an odd idea to me. It sounds like fanfiction, you know? I don't get how it works. People here fall in love with whoever they want."

Thor snapped his mouth shut, looking to Loki, and the rest of the team shifted awkwardly at the change of mood. There was an uncomfortable silence that threatened to settle over the living room. Before the awkwardness could dig its claws in, Loki huffed and leaned back into the couch.

"I'm hardly surprised," he said. "If your universe can't even keep up with the paltry advancements of Stark here; how could it possibly be sophisticated enough for such things as Soul Marks?"

Tony ticked a brow up, but otherwise didn't look particularly miffed.

"Funny how my paltry tech was able to kick your-"  
"Your people truly have nothing?" Thor interrupted. He was leaning slightly towards her with a serious look in his eyes that Sutton didn't quite understand. "No words, or marks, or timekeepers?"  
She shook her head and shrugged.

"Nope. Just good old-fashioned finding someone you like. We've got nothing but choices here."  
"It's not about choice," Natasha's voice cut in. "Feelings aren't forced. It's just a means of finding the person you would have picked anyway."

"Right," Sutton drawled. A beat passed and she shook her hand as if dispelling the direction the conversation had gone. "Regardless, the point is that you guys don't actually exist here. Not for real, anyway. So what are we going to do?"

At the end of the day, Sutton retreated to her room to get ready for bed before she was forced to give the space up to her "guests". She took a moment to just breath. Too many things had happened during the day; her mind was buzzing and her fingers still tingled with the residual shock of seeing fictional characters burst to life.

She leaned against her vanity, sighing deeply and closing her eyes as she sucked in another breath. A spot on her shoulder tickled and she reached back to brush any stray hairs away without thinking. There was a creaking of wood, possibly a shifting of feet, and Sutton whipped around.

Her lungs constricted tightly as she found Loki in her room, silent and staring at her. He didn't speak as her mind scrambled to try and figure out how to react. Her gaze flickered to the door, but he was too close. If she tried to make a break for it, he'd easily be able to grab her. Not for the first time, she cursed how small her room was.

Instead she fidgeted uncomfortably before snapping into a more haughty posture and tilting her head back.

"Can I help you with something? I'm going to be generous and assume it's important seeing as how you didn't knock or announce yourself at all."  
His lips ticked up into an almost smirk as he continued to eye her. Sutton clenched her fist, feeling exposed and vulnerable. She stiffened as he took a step towards her. Once more she was reminded just how tall he really was as his frame loomed over hers.

"Back up!"  
"Show me your shoulder."  
That brought her next admonishment to a stuttering halt. Her shoulder?

"No," she snapped. There was a note of confusion to her defiant tone. "Get out of my room."

"I will see it," he said. His tone was too calm, too controlled. It held an edge that Sutton didn't understand.

She darted for the door, lips parted with a cry on her tongue, but she was caught around the waist just as she feared. Her breath was forced out and she let out a grunt instead of a scream like she'd planned. Any self defense class she took was useless since she had failed to actually practice the moves regularly. She did remember a few basic moves, but an elbow to Loki's gut proved ineffective. He pinned her arms to her sides with one of his own, and when she tried to slam a foot down on his instep, he merely lifted her up off the floor.

It was like she weighed nothing and it was infuriating and terrifying all at once.

"Help! Somebody help me!"  
"Calm yourself." His chiding voice was near her ear. She tried to throw her head back to hit him in the nose, but that didn't work either. "No one will come for you. I've made assurances that we are not heard while in this room."

"They're going to notice when I don't come out in a minute!"

"I don't plan on keeping you that long."

She wasn't sure if that was supposed to be reassuring or a threat, but either way she continued to squirm to no avail. It didn't even seem like she was shifting in his hold.

"Do try to hold still. I merely want to confirm something."

Sutton felt his cool fingers creep over the edge of her hoodie, and she froze completely as he pulled down on the neck. He continued to pull away the fabric until the upper portion of her shoulder was exposed, and then he stopped.

For a moment all was silent and he was still. Sutton was paralyzed in confusion and uncertainty. It felt like he dragged the pad of his thumb over her skin and the flesh he touched flared in a sudden burst of heat and a sharp biting feeling.

"Ow! What are you doing? Let me go!"

He did. She dropped to the balls of her feet and spun around as if she was less vulnerable without her back to him. She readjusted her hoodie harshly as she glared at him. He was staring at her still with a new expression that she didn't think she wanted to understand.

"Your realm doesn't have Soul Marks?"

She hesitated, unsure why he was asking this again. Something in her stomach churned.

"No, it doesn't."

He let her statement hang in the air for a moment, let her simmer in uncertainty, before he continued on.

"Have you never noticed the Mark on your right shoulder?"  
"There's nothing on my shoulder; I think I'd know."

She still reached up subconsciously to her shoulder blade. The irritation and burning she'd experienced when the Avengers had first arrived came to mind, but she reminded herself that it had probably just been the fabric of her sweater.

"Have you checked recently?"

His goading, vaguely mocking tone didn't escape her, but at this point she had a cold shard of unease burrowing into her gut as to where this conversation was headed. The pieces were obviously laid out before her for her to put together, but she didn't want to. Still, she had to check now. Sutton hedged around Loki back to her vanity, eyeing him warily before turning her back to the mirror. Mimicking his actions, she pulled down on her hoodie until her right shoulder blade was exposed and promptly paled.

Sutton had never even seriously indulged in the idea of getting a tattoo in her life, and yet there appeared to be ink scrawled over her skin. It looked like some old fashioned calligraphy, with loops and curls as it slanted slightly to the right. It didn't take her long to make out what it said.

" _We don't exist? How fascinating."_

There was nothing she could do but stare at the words dumbfounded for a moment. Those words had definitely not been there her entire life. They hadn't even been there last month. She could hear her heart racing in her ears as her pulse thrummed in her neck. A spell of dizziness and lightheadedness struck her at once. Again, she righted her hoodie in a panic, as if she could keep him from seeing what he'd already pointed out to her. Those had been the first words he's said upon meeting her.

"Did you know you hadn't spoken directly to me until this very evening?" He broke the silence and Sutton forced herself from the bout of shock she was slipping into. "If you had continued to avoid me, I might have never known."

"This isn't real." Oh gosh, her chest was starting to hurt. "We don't have- did you do this? Is this a trick? You can do magic here, I saw it; you must have-"

"I did nothing," he interrupted. Her accusations must have struck a chord, because he sounded peeved. "Not even magic can fake a Soul Mark. And even if I could, how in all the realms do you think I'd benefit from fooling you?"  
Sutton opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to figure that very thing out, but couldn't come up with anything.

"Well I don't know; that's why it's so sneaky."

With a cold stare he reached up and pulled down on the neck of his own tunic until Sutton could see the ink it revealed right under his collarbone. She could read it from where she stood, could recognize her own handwriting. It was the one she used when trying to be professional, or signing a card.

" _Soulmates, really? You all have soulmates?"_

"You can ask Thor if you are so distrustful," Loki said. "I've had these words stamped to my chest for as long as I can remember."

"Anyone could have said that."

"And yet it was you who did."

The room had grown considerably smaller during the conversation, and yet she still couldn't move to make a break for the door. Her mind raced faster than she could actually keep up with; she didn't think she'd ever felt so horror stricken in her life.

"This really can't be real, I can't- wait! Natasha, she said it-it isn't forced right?" Her shoulders slumped as some of the tension drained from them. "Even if it is real, nothing has to happen," she continued. Her legs finally quivered and gave out, and she dropped into the vanity chair. She let out a nervous laugh and glanced back up at Loki who hadn't moved. When he didn't heartily agree, she met his gaze with a confused one of her own.

"Um, ok. Could at least drop a little, " _yay, dodged a bullet"_ or something." She huffed. "Well, I'm just gonna," she gestured towards the door and stood up. She was two steps from the exit when he spoke.

"What makes you think I'd allow that?"

Sutton stiffened again, the muscles in her shoulders aching from all the stress as she shifted back around.

"What?"  
"Do you think it mere coincidence that we arrived at your feet? That not only did we travel into another universe entirely, but we came directly across you. You who just also happens to be my Soulmate? No, no universe is ever that sloppy. And considering I would have never found you if we had not come, what makes you think I will let you go?"

The blood in her veins iced over and stopped flowing.

"W-why would you even want me? I'm just a mortal, right? Not even a mortal from your own universe! This shouldn't even be a thing!" Her hands shook and she could feel herself starting to slip back into bad defensive habits. "I'd think you'd be glad it's not forced, given that fact. And I-I'd annoy you; I'm pretty sure I already do. And," she added, her voice rising an octave for a moment, "you don't even know me. At all. So, really, not even missing out."

Her hand groped for the doorknob, her gaze stuck on him as if that'd be enough to keep him from moving. He merely watched her through half-lidded eyes. Her hand finally found the doorknob and she gripped it like a lifeline.

"You won't heed anything I tell you now," he finally said. "But I shall still give you fair warning, if only so you cannot use it against me in the future. Know this; I do not give up what is rightfully mine."

A verbal response would not come to her; his proclamation had rendered her mute. Instead she reacted as she typically did in times of great duress.

Sutton threw open her bedroom door and fled.


	24. Oneshot - Jurassic World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! This one was sort of requested by guest reviewer "SunnySides". I picked Jurassic World out of their suggestions! And I did something a bit different with this one... thought it'd be fun to add in a couple little background scenes of Sutton's old life. :)

" _Momma! I want to stay up and watch the movie with you!"  
Sutton wailed as she clutched a ratty stuffed animal to her chest. Her mother looked down at her and brushed her wild hair from her face._

" _Not this time," her mother said. "This movie is too scary. Maybe when you're older."_

_Sutton's bottom lip jutted out as she turned on the water works._

" _Please! Please, please, please! I can be brave!"_

_Still, her mother shook her head._

" _I know you're brave, but no," she said firmly. "Now it's time for bed. Come on."_

_That answer wasn't acceptable to a tiny Sutton. She stomped her foot forcefully._

" _You just think I'm a scaredy cat, but I'm not! You're just like Corey! You don't like me either!"_

" _Hey." Her mother's voice was suddenly stern and Sutton snapped her mouth closed. "I am not a kid from your school. I am your mother, and you don't talk to me like that. I love you very much. That's why I'm not letting you watch the movie. Now, come on. It's time for bed."_

_Sutton pouted as her mother tucked her in. Her mom never let her do anything cool or fun. All the other kids had new bikes and rollerblade shoes and all she ever got were old toys and clothes from the store that smelled like dust. All she wanted was to watch the movie! Other kids got to watch cool movies!_

_Her mother kissed her on the forehead, but Sutton only shimmied down further under her quilt and turned her head away. She heard her mother sigh and head for the door._

" _I love you Sutton."  
Sutton grunted._

_She was too mad to be sleepy. All the kids at school liked dinosaurs. Dinosaurs were cool. If her mom let her watch the movie with her, then she could talk about it in class and all the kids would like her._

_When it had been quiet for awhile and Sutton could hear the faint noises from their boxy TV playing, she slipped silently out of bed._

_From the edge of the hallway, one could peer out passed the wall and have a perfect view of the TV while still being hidden. Sutton crouched low at that spot and kept her stuffed bear close to her chest._

_Her heart leapt up in delight as she saw the first bits of the movie. Some people were in a car driving around the jungle. It wasn't scary at all._

_And then a T-Rex knocked the car over and bit a man in half._

_She squeaked quietly, her tiny hand coming up to cover her mouth, but luckily the sound of the T-Rex roaring loudly drowned out her slip up._

[][]

"I don't like dinosaurs, I DON'T like dinosaurs, I DON'T like DINOSAURS!"

Sutton was getting strange looks from the crowds as she ran like a madwoman through the amusement park. It was hot and she was sticky and she was trapped on an island crawling with large-toothed monsters.

She knew exactly how this was going to go.

Sutton certainly did  _not_ want to be on this island when it happened.

She ran passed a Starbucks and a souvenir shop and seven other product placement stores before she passed a large fountain and rounded on what was obviously the central building to this entire establishment.

"Where do I buy a flipping ticket to get off this island of death?"  
A mother quickly ushered her child away as Sutton's wild eyes roved over the interior of the building.

Holograms sprang up here and there, displaying moving pictures of the creatures to giggling children.

Oh gosh.

Children!

If she were here, now, she could only assume that the story was about to go down, because that was just her luck and always seemed to happen to her. And if she were right about that, then a lot of these people were going to die.

Kids could die too.

Sutton bounced on the balls of her feet for a few moments. Her face twisted as she debated internally. Eventually, she blew a puff of air from her nostrils and then breathed in deeply.

"Everyone! You have to evacuate right now," she yelled into the crowded room. "The dinosaurs are going to get loose! You have to get out of here!"

A few people snapped their heads to look around for incoming dinos in surprise, but mostly Sutton just noticed a team of security personnel coming her way. She started moving again.

"Have  _none_  of you seen a movie  _ever?_ "

The security guards picked up their pace as she did.

She was full on sprinting through the building now, running up a set of stairs as security chased her.

"I'm not crazy," she called back at the men. "I'm just extremely concerned-  _oof!_ "

Sutton came to a full stop as she ran head first into another human being. They caught her instinctively, it seemed, and straightened her by her shoulders.

"Whoa there, Speedy," the man said. "The park is open all day."

The man was tall, with cropped curly hair and scruff. He was wearing a button up and vest in what was probably a park ranger get-up, but it mostly just made him look like he wished he were Indiana Jones.

 _Smarmy male protagonist_ , her brain supplied. He had to be. Her odds of dying had either just dropped or risen exponentially; she wasn't sure which.

"It probably won't stay open for long," she shot back. Security finally reached them and their hands wrapped around her arms, beginning to drag her away. "The dinosaurs are escaping! They're getting out and people are going to die!"  
She let the security guards lead her away, realizing as she spoke that maybe they would kick her off the island for disturbing the peace. But she still felt responsible for warning people. Maybe, just maybe, a few would take what she said to heart. Maybe she could save a few of them.

"You need to get people off this island!"

"Hey, whoa. Wait up."

The two security guards paused, and the male protagonist crouched down close to her and spoke in a hushed voice.

"How did you find out about that?"  
"Oh," said Sutton. "Oh, Lord." Her knees buckled slightly and she caught herself before she fell. "It already happened," she hissed. "And nobody is saying anything?"

The man frowned.

"It's supposedly under control."  
"Supposedly!"  
"Shh! Do you want to start a riot?"  
Sutton threw her hands out, palms up, in a gesture that said, " _what do you think?"._

She turned back to the security guards and wiggled her arms.

"Ok," she said. "Take me away. Kick me off the island. I'm a madwoman. Just get me out of here!"

"Actually, I've got this. Thanks guys. Good work."

"No he doesn't!"  
But the man continued to usher her away and the security team let him, for some reason. Sutton rolled her shoulders and glared.

"You have  _got_ to warn these people! Not all of them have to die!"  
"Can you seriously not talk so loud?"

"Listen here, you second-rate Indiana Jones; I don't need-"

"Ok, wow," the man said. "That was uncalled for. First of all, I'd be a frickin' amazing

Indiana Jones. Secondly, how the heck did you find out about the escaped animal?"

"It's called having a brain, pal. How many times does this sort of thing have to happen before people realize dinosaurs went extinct for a reason!"

The guy rolled his eyes.

"The name is Owen by the way," he said. "And whether anyone agrees or not, these creatures are here to stay now."

Sutton groaned.

"I want to go  _home_. But, no! I get to be a flipping appetizer!"

"Please," said Owen as he continued to lead her out of the main hub of people. "You'd barely be an after dinner mint."

[][]

_Tyrese held up his book and waved it excitedly._

" _I finished it!"_

_Sutton glanced at the cover of his book and grimaced._

" _Why did you read that," she asked. "You're, like, ten." Tyrese rolled his eyes._

" _Because it's a good book, duh. Did you know that the movie got some parts wrong?"  
She held up her hand as she took a sip of her lemonade and then flipped to the next page in the baking magazine she was looking through._

" _Please don't tell me," she said. "You know how I feel about dinosaurs."  
Tyrese pressed on regardless._

" _Ok, so the little one that kills Nedry, right? In the book it's a different kind of dinosaur. It's actually, like, ten feet tall and can spit acid to blind you from far away. And it sounds like a hooting owl; creepy right? Plus it has a huge claw that it'll use to disemb-"_

" _Ok!" Sutton rose her voice and shot a sneering look at her brother. "I get it. I'm trying to look at food here. Disgusting," she muttered._

" _And the old guy? In the book he's a total jerk and gets bit by this pack of little dinosaurs that paralyze you and then you just don't feel anything as they eat-"  
_ " _For real! Do you want me to make you brownies, or not? Because I'm about to quit right now and pummel you instead."_

_With an irritated sigh, Tyrese pushed his book to the side._

" _Fine," he said. Sutton gave a sharp nod._

" _That's what I thought."_

[][]

They did not ferry her off the island. Owen, whether he did it purposefully or not, had effectively stalled her long enough that it was impossible now to leave. Pandemonium was ensuing.

Sutton was irate.

She was trekking through a jungle with a cliche business woman and a rugged outdoorsman couple and she was nobly trying not to complain. The people who complained in movies usually got chomped.

The two were bickering back in forth in a way that told Sutton they were destined to somehow be together by the end of this entire ordeal. She did not care. All she could think about was sharp claws and creepy scaly bodies. And teeth. Lots and lots of teeth.

She shuddered and pushed away another vine.

"What about her?" Sutton caught the tail end of whatever conversation the couple was having. "How did she even get involved in this? She's a tourist."  
Sutton believed the woman's name was Claire, and she had been wondering the same exact thing for awhile now. Owen shrugged.

"She knew about the Indomimus Rex escaping." Sutton snorted.

"Ok, I don't know much about dinosaurs, but that name sounds fake."

Claire let out a small sound of insult and Owen grinned as he looked back.

"I told you it was dumb."

A snapping in the foliage had them all suddenly on alert. Sutton picked up a fat stick off the ground and held it up shakily as her eyes darted here and there. Her chest was seizing up and her lungs wouldn't fill all the way. Her eyes were hot as she vigilantly scoured the tropical fauna for movement.

"This is literally one of my worst nightmares," she whispered in a choked voice to herself.

"Literally. I dreamt I got eaten by raptors, like, at least eight times as a kid."  
"A very tragic story, but could you please be silent," Owen asked in mock politeness.

Sutton slammed her lips shut and breathed through her nose.

The forest was quiet, the only noise being the leaves as they shifted in the wind and some quiet birdsong. When nothing burst from the foliage, they carefully continued on.

[]

Towards the end of the day Sutton had already endured watching a long-necked dinosaur die right in front of her with gashes in it's side larger than she was, running from freakish pterodactyls, and running from a giant, mutant T-Rex that was smarter than it had any right to be.

She was exhausted.

And she was somehow alive.

Now that those pterodactyl things were attacking the main amusement park complex she felt like maybe all the fear had been burned out of her. Or maybe she was just mad enough to ignore the fact that she was still terrified.

She had a metal pipe in her hands that she'd scavenged from the destruction going on around her and she stood, feet apart as she eyed the flying terrors.

One was coming directly for her. One of the truly terrifying ones. It inexplicably had the head of a very small T-Rex and it bobbled on it's body in an unnatural way. Sutton grit her teeth as it made it's intentions to take a chunk out of her known.

"I-"

She raised the pipe higher over her shoulder.

"Hate-"

The creature got close enough and Sutton smacked it out of the sky.

"Dinosaurs!"

The beast was knocked away a distance and shook its head as it attempted to get back up. A kid was nearby, watching it in horror, and the creature noticed them. The kid started screaming and Sutton ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Oh no you don't, you abomination!"

She put herself between the child and the creature just as it started flying again. This time her pipe was a bat and that thing was a baseball and she was about to channel some serious Babe Ruth. She knocked it back out of the sky. This time she didn't wait.

It hit the ground and Sutton was after it. She whacked it a few more times with her pipe. Hit it until it quit moving. She stopped, drooping at the shoulders, and panted as she looked back to make sure the kid was ok. It seems like their father had finally reach them and he scooped the kid up and booked it with little more than a look.

There was a loud scream. Sutton looked up as a shadow grew behind her and let out a cry herself. She dove to the side, tumbling into some empty chairs and cafe tables as a large pterodactyl swooped down and just barely missed her. She could feel the air it stirred up as it passed. Her heart hammered in her chest as she scrambled to continue moving.

"Evil," she said aloud. "Every single flippin' animal on this island was created in a lab and given extra flippin' evil genes and I hate every last one of them."

"Well, they don't seem so keen on you either."  
Owen appeared behind her, along with Claire and the two young boys who were her nephews.

"Let's go," said Claire. "We have to get inside that building."  
"Pointless," Sutton droned. "Dinosaurs. Dinosaurs are everywhere. They know how to open doors!"  
The older of the nephews eyed her oddly.

"Is she ok," he asked Owen. Owen shook his head.

"I think she might've snapped and lost it when the Indominus poked its head into that garage and tried to snap at us at the old park."

"Its teeth," said Sutton forcefully, "are as  _big_  as I am."

"So not that big," said Owen. The nephews snickered and Claire scowled.

"Joking is for  _after_ we survive this."

For once, Sutton agreed with the woman.

She really hoped surviving all of this was still a possibility.


	25. Oneshot - A Wonder

Sutton had woken from her jumps in pain so many times that the fact that she didn't feel any now was the first thing she noticed.

She eased awake slowly, testing her muscles one by one and found them sore, but not tearing.

"She wakes."

A woman's voice lilted through the room and footsteps shuffled. Sutton stilled.

"I know you're awake, child. Come now. No harm will come to you."

She hesitated before cracking an eye open. There was warm light flooding a stonewalled room and a clay pitcher on a wooden table next to her. Sutton looked up and met warm brown eyes set in an equally warm brown face. The woman smiled at her encouragingly.

The woman was wearing a long, pale blue linen wrap with leather straps crossing over the chest. Sutton wondered what time she'd been dropped in.

"My name is Phillipus," the woman said. She poured water from the pitcher into a cup and passed it to Sutton. "And you are safe here. Now what is your name, and how did you find us?"

Sutton sat up and downed the entire cup of water, panting as she came up for air. It was time for introductions again, she supposed.

"My name is Sutton," she said. "And I don't know how I got here. Where is  _here_  anyway?"  
"Themyscira."

"Themyscira?"

It sounded familiar. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed.

"How long have I been here?"  
"A few days now. Long enough for the healing waters to do their work."  
Another woman walked in with a plate of fruits and bread and what looked like some kind of salted meat. Phillipus stood and made space for the other woman to set the plate on Sutton's lap.

"You will eat and regain your strength," Phillipus said. "And then you will be taken to

speak with the Queen."  
Sutton picked at a bunch of grapes on her plate and swallowed nervously.

"Queen?"  
"Queen Hippolyta."  
"Right, of course, cool," said Sutton. She made a mental note to eat slowly. "Sounds great."

**[]**

Her legs worked when she got up and tested them. It was bittersweet because now she was being escorted up cobblestone paths to a palace nestled in a white cliffside. It was actually gorgeous. There was a definite Greek influence in everything from the small marketplace they'd passed through to the architecture and clothing. Not to mention the names of the women here.

Speaking of, she hadn't spotted a single man the entire time she'd been awake. The market vendors were women, the people shopping, the guards she saw patrolling, and she was going to meet who she assumed was the one ruling monarch who was also a woman.

Sutton squinted in thought as she stepped into the cool, airy palace.

Greek influence. Women only society. Every single person on this island looked like they could kick butt at any moment. (Seriously. She'd noticed their crazy toned arms.)

"Oh," she murmured excitedly. "Oh, oh, oh! Amazons!"

Phillipus peered down at her.

"So mankind has not forgotten us completely," she mused. Sutton smiled awkwardly.

"Sure," she said.

 _Wonder Woman_ , her mind excitedly supplied.  _It has to be Wonder Woman_.

They entered what was clearly a room for trial and deliberation. A throne was placed at the front and seating stretched out on the sides. A woman waited on the throne, looking every bit like a warrior Queen. A tiara rested on her brow and fur-lined cape draped over her form. Next to her, a dark haired woman stood. Both women stared at her as she made her way forward and Sutton found herself hunching her shoulders down a little.

"The Queen is fair," Phillipus said quietly. Sutton took that to mean  _don't be afraid_  and tried to straighten out her posture. It just wasn't every day you were being brought up for a queen's judgement.

The Queen lifted her chin in assessment as Sutton came to a stop in front of her.

"I am Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons." Hippolyta's voice rang out clearly and with an authority that sounded well earned. Sutton swallowed. "Who are you?"

"Uh, I'm Sutton." Sutton waved weakly. Her eyes darted to the dark-haired woman standing near the queen. "I also don't know how I ended up here, exactly. Um, sorry for sort of invading?"

"You were quite injured when you were found." The queen watched for her reaction and Sutton couldn't help the pained wince.

"It wouldn't be the first time," she said. At their skeptical looks she continued. "It's been a long couple of months. But I-I haven't been able to find my way home."

That earned her a sympathetic look from the dark-haired woman.

"Mother," she said. The queen held up a hand. Sutton fidgeted as Hippolyta scrutinized her. Evaluated her.

"We have spare ships," Hippolyta said flatly. "You could take one to return to the land of man."

Sutton winced yet again.

"Um, thank you. That's very generous, but, uh, I'm afraid that wouldn't actually help. And I also have no idea how to sail a boat."

"You do not dwell among men?"

"Well, I mean, yes. Just- not on  _this_  earth."

There was murmuring through the room. A briny breeze drifted through ruffling her hair and Sutton gnawed on her lip. She'd taken a risk with being so candid, but she was tired of walking on eggshells twenty-four seven. And besides, didn't Wonder Woman have a golden rope that could make you tell the truth anyway?

Hippolyta's eyes softened marginally as she tilted her head down.

"You may stay in Themyscira as long as you wish," she said. "All women are safe and welcome here. You will be expected to contribute, of course, like any other citizen. But you will have food and a place to rest your head."

Sutton blinked rapidly and let out a heavy breath.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

The woman next to the Queen smiled in relief.

"I am Diana," she said. "Daughter of Hippolyta." Sutton was immediately reminded of Thor, which caused her smiled to widen.

"Hello. It is very nice to meet you."

[][]

Sutton settled in rather quickly. It surprised her just how quickly, actually. But once the women realized she basically knew how to do nothing, they took her under their wing and were eager to teach her. They showed her how to cook without a conventional oven, how to weave damp reeds into baskets, they showed her their looms for weaving fiber into fabric, and the way to carefully sharpen weapons to a strong deadly point.

She crouched low as she bent down to tug a root from tilled soil. The starchy tubers were good once they were boiled and softer, not to mention slathered with some rich goat's butter. Which she found surprisingly ok. Sutton hefted the basket and decided she'd gathered enough for the next meal. The loose linen wrap she wore fluttered in the pleasant breeze and she sighed in contentment. She may still not be home, but at least the most she'd had to worry about since waking up was not running into wild boar.

"You seem much more settled than when you first woke here."  
Sutton turned at Phillipus' warm tone. She was standing in the doorway of her small home and was mixing something in a wooden bowl. Sutton smiled.

"Well, I have to admit that this is my favorite place I've found myself in by far. I haven't had to run for my life or anything so far. The break is appreciated."

Phillipus eyed her curiously.

"It seems as though you've been a great many places."

"Too many for my tastes," Sutton agreed. Phillipus hummed in thought and then nodded towards the house.

"Well, come. We should set those tubers to boil before it grows too late."

Sutton followed her into the home and brought the tubers over to the already boiling pot. It looked like Phillipus was preparing some kind of stew. She hummed as she quickly sliced the roots into chunks and dropped them into the pot.

[][]

That night Sutton slipped out of bed while Phillipus slept and silently exited the humble home. The evening was cool, but the island never seemed to have bad weather. She wrapped herself in a simple shawl and was perfectly content.

She took a deep breath and smiled softly as she trekked the bricked paths. It was near silent, with only a few insects and a quiet chittering now and then to disrupt her thoughts. The moon reflected off the dark ocean adding a cool, pale glow to the horizon. Sutton found a small indented outlook and leaned against the statue of what was probably some greek goddess. The salty, brine air of the ocean washed over her and she soaked it in happily.

Maybe she'd regret being up now in the morning, but she wasn't going to worry about that for the time being. She climbed up onto the short wall and sat on it to more comfortably watch the gentle waters as they lapped against the shore.

A few minutes later, someone was walking behind her, approaching from the same path she'd taken, and Sutton turned to look.

"Diana." Sutton shifted a bit as Diana came around and sat next to her. She honestly hadn't seen the Amazon princess much since landing on Themyscira. Diana always seemed to be busy with training or learning alongside senators. Royal duties and the like. But really, a lot of physical training.

Diana smiled down at her and looked out to the ocean herself.

"You are out quite late," she said.

Sutton shrugged.

"I couldn't sleep. Besides, I figured I should enjoy this freedom a bit before I end up zipping out here."

Diana tilted her head to the side and frowned.

"Freedom?"

"Yeah. I'm in a dress, outside, at night, by myself. You can't exactly do this where I'm from. It's not safe."

Diana shook her head, lip curling up on one side in disgust as she searched for words.

"That is terrible. No one should feel unsafe where they live. Will noone defend those who are weaker?"  
"Well, maybe if they get there in time? But sometimes help doesn't come until it's too late. Sometimes it's not noticed at all." Sutton huffed. "But after everything- well, it's nice to just feel safe for a little bit. I wanted to take advantage of it."

Diana hummed in response.

The waves continued to lap along the shore in a soothing rhythm. Sutton closed her eyes against the moonlight and let herself pretend she was on the docks at the marina back home. She used to point out the jellyfish to Tyrese and try to help him scoop up some glowing algae from the freezing water.

Diana shifted, standing from her spot on the wall next to her and smiled.

"Well, we shall have to make sure you no longer have a reason to fear."

Sutton mimicked her movements and stood.

"What?"  
"You will train with us."

She choked back a cough and shook her head.

"Oh, hey, I'm not sure that's-"

"You can start in the morning," said Diana. "Then you will no longer feel unsafe, no matter where you roam."

"I just- I'm pretty flimsy." Sutton tried to excuse. Diana gave her a pat on the shoulder, and Sutton could feel the force that she held back.

"Sutton," said Diana, "that is what training is for!"

**[][][]**

The spear was weighted in her hand. Sutton tried once more to figure out that sweet spot where it was balanced in her grip.

"Again!"

An Amazon named Euboea had been charged with working with her. Diana was busy with her own intensive training which was overseen by a woman called Antiope, although Sutton had sworn she'd also heard Diana refer to her as an aunt.

Regardless, Euboea was just as capable as any other Amazon and she wasn't exactly going easy on Sutton. It was barely lunch and Sutton had already done laps around the training lawn, been instructed on proper spearing techniques, and sparred lightly with Euboea.

"To do is the best way to learn," the woman had said as she whacked Sutton with the end of a spear. "Mistakes are lessons, not failures," she said after Sutton fell over for the 100th time.

All Sutton knew was that she was painfully grateful for a break to eat.

Only the break didn't last long and training continued on. And continued on for the next three weeks. There was sweat, there were bruises, there was creative not-cursing from Sutton as she suffered continuous maiming. But as much as she bit back complaints, she actually was improving. Not that she could even compare to any of the Amazons, but even she could see her own growth.

Gripping and swinging her spear was more fluid. She could throw a punch or a kick with accuracy. Already her muscles were becoming more defined because the Amazons freaking  _loved_ training and combat exercises and didn't know when to quit.

Sutton was pleased when Euboea announced that she could enjoy a day of rest. Diana was having some test of skill and Euboea was supposed to assist in the testing.

Sutton decided she wanted to watch as well. From the glimpses she'd caught of Diana on the field, she was a force to be reckoned with. She crested the hill of the open arena and picked a spot to settle in that was out of the way, but still sported a good view. She situated her leather skirt as she sat, leaning over her knees as she watched Diana stretch on the grass below.

Diana fought as if she were trying to earn her rank. Watching her spin and lunge, parry and attack was like watching a fluid dance. As fierce as all the Amazons were, Diana was fiercer. She cut through the other warriors with a belying ease. She even took out the archers nearby until she was face to face with Antiope. Sutton had heard a few tales about the warrior. She was said to be the best general they had, and had trained Diana from a child herself.

Sutton chewed her thumbnail as she watched them trade blows.

Diana finally stripped Antiope of her sword, sending it flying to the side. She looked up to her mother, and that was her mistake. Antiope took advantage of the situation, laying into Diana with sword swings and a speech about battles never being fair.

And then Diana blocked a blow. She blocked a blow and a reverberating shock wave shot across the arena, sending Antiope flying back and rolling over the grass. Sutton hesitated cheering, the field had gone silent and faces stunned.

They hadn't known she could do that.

Diana let out a shocked apology and turned to flee the arena. Sutton stood, saw no one was paying any mind to her, and took off after Diana.

Sutton did not have the same leg span as Diana. Nor the agility. But she ran anyway over the hill until she saw Diana's still figure standing at the edge of a cliffside. She was staring at her hands, her gauntlets, and staring into the sun silently as she breathed. Sutton let her have a moment to herself. Her footsteps crunched on loose rock and Diana tilted her head back. Sutton gave an awkward nod.

"I just, um, wanted to make sure you were ok." Diana sighed.

"I did not know…."

A sound caught their ears at the same time. Both shut their mouths and turned to peer into the sky to see what could be making a growing, rumbling noise. Sutton squinted.

"That sounds like an engine," she said.

"Engine?"

Diana saw it first, a plane emerged from the clouds in a clear arc ending in the ocean. It was clearly dated, she wasn't sure exactly what era, but it was old. It had propellers. Sutton ran her hands through her hair and grimaced.

"Oh man. Oh no."

It hit the water and Diana dove off the cliff.

"Diana!" Sutton rushed forward, but she had already disappeared under the ocean waves. "Great, wonderful," she griped. "Ugh."

With nothing else to do, Sutton ran back to the arena, calling out about the crash. Odds were whoever was in the plane would need medical help. But the Amazons took her information as a call to arms. Sutton watched helplessly as they grabbed weapons, mounted horses, and rode for the beach. A chestnut horse galloped by and Sutton reached a hand out.

"Phillipus! Wait!"

Phillipus glanced briefly back.

"Stay here. This is too dangerous for you."

"It was one person in a plane!"  
But they ignored her, mind already set, it seemed, on the potential battle ahead.

Sutton ran behind them. Down the hill and through the town until she found a spare horse tied to one of the holding posts. She took a deep breath and pushed on towards it.

"Opposite foot in stirrup," she said to herself. "Push yourself up and over. Hold the reigns."

It took her three tries, as it usually did, but she finally managed to throw herself up and onto the horse. She settled into the saddle and adjusted the reigns in her grip. The horse just shuddered its skin as if she were a pesky fly. Sutton glared at the back of the horse's head.

"I am  _not_ that small." She griped. "Now come on. I want to see who crashed here."

With a flick of the reigns and a nudge of her feet the horse actually obeyed and she raced to follow after the others.

By the time she reached the edge of the beach, there was already a fight. She gasped, pulling harshly back and the horse reared back slightly, coming to a sudden halt. Amazons were almost defying gravity as they spun and flew through the air, taking out uniformed soldiers along the beach. Bullets whizzed by in a desperate flurry and Sutton pulled back further behind a rocky outcrop. A dark shape swung in the air in the corner of her vision and Sutton's heart stopped as she finally made it out. One of the Amazons! She was hanging by a rope and obviously unconscious or dead.

She couldn't see their face, but it clearly wasn't Phillipus or Euboea. It didn't make her feel any better to know that, but she was happy that they were ok, as far as she knew.

Another sharp  _crack_ of gunshot echoed across the slowing battle and there was a scream. Sutton's heart beat against her ribcage as Diana staggered through the sand to one of her comrade's side.

"No," Sutton murmured. "No, no."

 _Antiope._  Their bravest general and Diana's own family.

A great woman.

The following silence that rang out over the beach was painful and twisting. Sutton slid off the horse and walked out towards the others further on the beach. Diana was crying.

She didn't want to see this.

There were more bodies scattered across the sand. Fellow warriors. Sisters. Sutton knew some of them. One had shown her how to spin pottery. Another had given her cheese from the marketplace.

She put a hand over her mouth and tried not to start crying herself.

A figure that didn't match, didn't belong, caught her eye and Sutton looked up. It took her a second to realize he was a man. Not that she didn't remember they existed, but being on the island for weeks now, she'd just gotten so used to not seeing them. It felt wrong that he was here somehow.

And then she recognized that he was Chris Pine.

He was wearing some old uniform, but it didn't look American, and he was carrying some sort of rifle.

"You're the one who crashed your plane," Sutton said. He sharply turned his head towards her, but was interrupted before he could say anything.

Hippolyta turned on him with a fury that sent him backpedaling. Diana jumped in to defend him.

"No, mother, no! He fought at my side against the invaders."

"What man fights against his own people?"  
"These aren't my people."

Chris Pine spoke up for the first time. Sutton noted the medal he was wearing on chest. If her history lessons had stayed with her at all, she thought it was German.

"Then why do you wear their colors," Hippolyta insisted.

He hesitated and then shook his head.

"I can't tell you that."

Sutton had been on Themyscira long enough to know that his answer wasn't going to fly.

**[]**

With some sly finagling and using the fact that she was also human, Sutton managed to be in the room as the soldier was interrogated. And she got to see the Lasso of Truth in action.

The blond-haired, blue-eyed man's name was Steve Trevor. He was a spy fighting in World War I.

Sutton thought the story sounded strangely familiar.

There was debate about what to do with him. Most thought that he should either killed or sent home. It was Diana that insisted that they join him. Something about stopping the god of war, Ares. Under normal circumstances, Sutton would have thought that story was a bit unbelievable. But, given that she was on an island with warrior women and Wonder Woman herself, she was inclined to take it more seriously.

She was pulled out of her musings as Hippolyta looked directly at her.

"What do you think about it," she asked. "You have lived amongst men."

Sutton shifted.

"Oh, well, The Great War is real. And he's certainly not German. They have a distinct accent that's really hard to mimic correctly."

"I mean about men's hearts. My daughter believes that Ares himself is responsible for their war and cruelty."

Diana pegged her with a desperate, pleading look, and Sutton grimaced.

"I don't know if I could say it was  _all_  his fault," she admitted. "Humans kind of go through cycles of war and peace no matter where you are. Ares or no Ares. But, that doesn't mean he's not responsible here-"

"See," Hippolyta interrupted. "Man is cruel and twisted all on his own. It is not our place to intervene in their every squabble."

"Mother!"

"Enough, Diana."

Diana gave her an unappreciative glare and Sutton slipped away with a few other women to escape what was probably an awkward mother-daughter disagreement.

**[]**

Diana was scarce the rest of the day. Sutton suspected that she may be up to something, but didn't find it her place to say anything. She made quick work of fetching water from the main well for dinner later before scampering off to spend the rest of her free time how she chose.

Sutton decided to pay this new Steve a visit.

The Amazons were keeping Steve down in the healing caverns. Sutton carefully navigated over increasingly damp rock as sunlight disappeared behind her. The sound of rustling paper grew louder the closer to the cavern opening she got.

Steve was leaning over a map he'd spread out over some flat rock.

"Um, hello."

He looked up quickly and threw his hands over the map to try and hide it. Sutton tilted her head to the side.

"Oh dear, how ever will I discover what you're up to?"

Steve blinked at her and Sutton raised both her eyebrows in question.

"You don't speak like the rest of them," he finally said. "You sound American."  
"That's because I am. I mean, I know I've been working out, but I'm not exactly on these ladies' level."

It seemed as though Steve didn't know how to take that. He eyed her outfit further, taking in the breastplate and leather skirt as if that held some answer.

"So, what? You crash on this island too? How long have you been here?"  
Sutton eased closer to his map, trying to see whereabouts he was guessing he was.

"Something like that," she said. "And I've been here a little while." She continued to eye the map and Steve moved his hands away. "Do you know where we are?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Not a clue. This island isn't on the map." He pulled a compass from his pocket and

watched the arrow spin aimlessly a second before giving up and tossing it down onto the rock. "Were you a nurse, then," he asked. "How'd you find yourself on this side of the world. At least, I think we're still on the same side…."

"I'm not a nurse, no. Just, well, an unfortunate traveler, I guess."

He pegged her with a doubtful, confused look and Sutton shrugged.

"You seem to appreciate keeping things classified. I'm sure you'll understand."

Steve rolled his eyes at that.

"Yeah, except I didn't exactly get to keep my secrets, if you'll remember."

There were more footsteps entering the cavern and both Sutton and Steve swiveled to see who was coming.

Diana stepped into the space and her presence filled the room. Sutton glanced at Steve

as he fell silent and smirked at his smitten face. Diana adjusted the cloak she was wearing and gripped the sword at her side.

"I am going with you," she declared. Steve blinked.

"Yeah," he said. "Ok."  
Diana smiled and relaxed a bit, then turned to Sutton.

"And you, Sutton? Do you wish to return to your homeland?"

Sutton stiffened. The thought hadn't exactly crossed her mind. Return to where? Europe? To a devastated continent in the throes of war? Or stay on a pleasant, warm island where she was comfortable and safe and accepted?

It wasn't even a fair choice.


	26. Garbage, The Sequel

Sutton put a lot of effort into avoiding Loki in the following days. His gaze was often on her, she knew that, but she hoped if she spurned him enough he'd grow bored and leave her alone. The idea of real soulmates was ridiculous enough on its own to her, but this was just insane. A soulmate from another universe? Not only that, but from a different planet from another universe?

No. Sutton refused to accept that she was included in this craziness. She was housing them until they could get home and that was it.

For the time being they were all sprawled around her living room, the science bros doing their best to start figuring out a way back. Sutton made sure she was seated on the couch across the room from Loki. He was glowering at her and Sutton studiously pretended not to notice. She was sure the other Avengers had noticed her avoiding the moodier Asgardian, but she didn't know if they knew exactly why beyond the obvious. At least, she hadn't told them the specifics. Her gaze flickered to Thor; perhaps he could have though.

She told herself that she didn't care if he had; it wouldn't change anything. They'd eventually leave and she'd be free and safe. Besides, Loki was going straight to Asgard jail, wasn't he? She wasn't going to be any prison penpal!

Loki glared at her as if he'd known the direction her thoughts had taken. Sutton focused more intently on her phone. Her search to find fanfics where someone broke off their soulmate bond wasn't going very well. Generally those ones just jumped to angst and murder, and she didn't think she'd have much of a chance with that. Nor the disposition for it. That or they ended up together in the end anyway, and that was also less that satisfactory.

To be honest, if anyone checked her browser history from the last couple days, they may find themselves becoming concerned about her.

_Are soulmates real?_

_Soulmate bonds_

_Breaking soulmate bonds_

_Breaking soulmate bonds for real_

_Get rid of soulmate_

_Get rid of soulmate not murder_

_What to do if a psychopath is in love with you_

_How to get someone to completely forget your existence_

Unfortunately she hadn't found anything particularly helpful with google, so to fanfiction she'd gone.

She vaguely noticed Loki subtly rub at his neck, and then he jammed his fingers under his tunic into that patch of skin beneath his collarbone with force. Sutton jerked forward with a yelp as she felt like someone had shoved her in the back.

She froze, her face going instantly hot when she looked up to see everyone in the room staring at her.

"What was that about," Clint asked. He was internally laughing at her, she could see it in his eyes.

"Nothing," she said with a squeak.

How could she ever begin to explain this… this… misunderstanding! How would they look at her if they thought she was Loki's soulmate? Which she wasn't!

True, she may have had a few fangirl moments in the past, but who hadn't! That was when it was fake! That was when characters could be twisted and molded to fit whatever you wanted or interpreted however you chose. Not real people! A real Loki was a completely different story compared to an internet Loki.

"Kay," Clint drawled at her hasty response.

She glanced over at the new bane of her existence, who was still glaring at her, and she shot him a sneer right back. His hand was still under the neck of his tunic when an ice cold shock pressed against her shoulder; Sutton arced off the couch with a flail of her arms.

"Gah-ahhh!"

"Loki," Thor admonished. "Let her be."

To Sutton's horror that only garnered everyone's attention even more.

"Loki bugging you, Pip Squeak," Tony asked. Sutton fidgeted.

"Don't like that one either, Tony. And it's nothing."

"Small Fry, then," Tony decided. Sutton groaned. "And if Reindeer Games is bothering you, just tell us. I'm sure Bruce here could get him to leave you alone."

Bruce didn't seem to appreciate being volunteered like that if his scowl was anything to go by. Sutton still smirked at the idea until she noticed the sudden sharp gleam in Loki's eyes.

"Have you truly not told them about us, darling? You wound me."

She saw Natasha quirk a brow in a humorless way.

"Tell us what?"

"You're not helping him out, are you kid?"

Sutton stared down in horror at Clint as she tried to ease towards the living room exit.

"What? No! Of course not. It's nothing; there is nothing, there is no 'us'!"

Loki  _tsked_  and stared up at her trembling form through his lashes.

"Such a harsh way to talk about your Soulmate, love."

The room erupted with noise. Sutton could actually feel her soul shrivel up and float out of her body.

"Impossible," Tony muttered.

"You said Soulmates weren't a thing here," said Bruce.

"Do you even have a Mark," asked Steve.

Everyone quieted at that as if they'd all silently decided that was the most prominent question to have answered. Sutton blanched.

"Do you?" Natasha prodded.

"I-I, there's… it's not real," Sutton insisted. "It's a trick or something. Soulmates aren't real and I don't have one! I don't know what's going on, but I'm not going to be forced or tricked or trapped into anything."

It was silent in the living room as her statement, as good as a confirmation, sunk in. Gazes shifted over to Thor who had been facepalming since Loki spoke.

"Loki speaks the truth," he said. Resignation tinged his voice and Sutton bristled at the betrayal. "I have known his words since we were but boys. Lady Sutton spoke them three days ago."

Sutton had refrained from asking Thor if his brother was telling the truth for this very reason. She did not want to hear that he had, indeed, been honest. Running her hands through her hair and gripping at the back of her neck, Sutton let out a shaky breath.

"He's telling the truth. Are you serious?"  
Loki sighed dramatically, but she swore she saw a flicker of irritation flash in his eyes.

"People are always so surprised." He chuffed.

"Yikes," said Tony.

Sutton reminded herself to breathe and that this wasn't necessarily a complete life-altering, earth-shattering, future-crippling event. She shouldn't panic and be melodramatic. She could totally handle this.

"It doesn't matter," she said quickly. "I never asked for this, and I live here, and you guys are going home as soon as you can, so it doesn't make a difference. Because like Natasha said, it's just, like, a tracking tool or whatever, right? And I have totally flirted with boys before and not thrown up or passed out or something stupid like that."

"What is she talking about?" Clint complained. He slumped against his seat on the couch and eyed her as if she'd just started speaking in tongues.

"Look," said Tony, "it's not our fault if you have poor taste in men-"

"I do not!"  
Loki grinned.

"Thank you."  
"Oh, shut up. What I'm saying is that it doesn't matter, because after you go back to your universe, I'm just going to save up to get this thing laser removed or something. It'll all work out."

"Remove it," Steve asked sharply. Everyone in the room looked aghast at the idea, as if it were taboo, and Sutton didn't even dare garner a look at Loki.

"Uh, yeah? I can't exactly walk around with this on my shoulder forever. I couldn't even pull it off as a tattoo, it doesn't make sense."

Bruce actually winced as she kept talking and Sutton let her words die down into silence.

"I know your culture doesn't have this, but removing your Mark is sort of a big deal for us. It's rejecting your Soulmate, like saying they're dead to you. It's not done lightly."

"I mean, really. Yikes," said Tony.

Sutton paced the few steps of living room that were open to her with a growing scowl on her face.

"Oh," she said. "He attacks New York, you guys literally beat him into the ground for it, but I mention removing a couple sentences from my back, and suddenly  _I'm the bad guy?_ What does it even matter? I live in an entirely different universe; you can't get much more long distance than that."

"You live here for the moment." Loki pointed out.

"Not the best time for that," Natasha commented.

Sutton shook her head causing curls to fly around her face as she shook a finger at him.

"Nope. No, no, no, no. I am  _not_  going back with you, if that's what you're thinking. And I'm especially not going to go back just to be some-some, convict girlfriend or penpal. What do they even call those ladies who date guys in jail? Whatever that is, I'm not one of them."

Thor mentioned that perhaps Odin would be lenient with Loki on her account, and the room erupted into unhappy chaos again. Sutton really wished she'd been able to go to Australia with Vicki. She had a better chance of survival there.

**[][][]**

Sutton was mentally drained when she trudged back into her room that evening. She pulled open the second drawer in her dresser and fished around for a pair of pajama bottoms while her mind continued to buzz nonstop. The day hadn't exactly calmed down after the reveal that Loki and she were supposed "Soulmates". They'd stopped hounding her and cut back on the aghast looks when they realized the true depth of her incomprehension of all these ideas, but she still couldn't shake off the feeling of impending finality.

"Could annoy him to death," she muttered under her breath. "That shouldn't be hard. Just act ditzy enough for long enough and I can't imagine he'd be able to tolerate it."

"The thing about Soulmates, is that they're a match. You can't be someone I'd rather throw off the Bifrost, because then we wouldn't have been Soulmates to begin with. I do admire the attempt at a plan, though. Initiative is always an admirable trait."

Sutton spun around with a pair of flannel pants clutched to her chest as if he'd walked in on her changing. He was lounging casually on her bed and completely distracted by whatever he had in his hands.

"You can't keep barging in here like this. There's a closed door for a reason!"

"Well there's hardly anywhere else to have a private conversation, is there? For whatever reason you'll hardly stay in the same room as me."

Sutton glowered.

"That's because I don't like you."

Loki finally looked up from his hand and grinned wickedly at her.

"Who's the liar now," he asked. Her expression flickered, and with a growing horror she realized that he was cradling her phone. "It's amazing," he continued, "the sorts of things people will confess to on, what is it now? Social media?"  
Sutton was amazed instead by how quickly her face went from freezing cold to flaming hot. In a scramble, she patted at her pockets only to confirm that, yes, that was actually her phone. How he'd gotten it, or gotten it unlocked, she had no idea.

"Oh crap. Give that back. It's not whatever you're thinking. Everything is completely out of context!"  
" _I don't see why Loki didn't just run for office and go for world domination from there_ ," Loki read off the screen. His tone made it clear that he was delightfully amused. " _Honestly, given the choices we've had recently and how Congress has been, I'd probably vote for the guy._ "

Sutton tried to cover her heated face with her hands.

"It was a  _joke_. That's what you do on the internet: pander for attention-"

He was only smirking as he continued to scroll through whatever site he was currently on. Sutton realized just how incriminating it was that she couldn't decipher which site that was.

"Let's see," he continued. "Analysis on my motivations, critique on Odin's parenting abilities, countless images of my face and clothing-"

"I was helping a friend with a costume! "

"You needed images of my face for that?"  
Sutton lowered her hands enough to peek through them and if looks could kill she wouldn't have had to worry about having a Soulmate anymore. After a moment of clenching her jaw, she ran her tongue between her teeth and simmered; Loki raised an expectant, knowing brow.

"At times, your face may be semi aesthetically pleasing." She bit out. "But you're not the only good looking guy in the world, ok? And I've geeked out over the Avengers too, so don't get a big head over this."

Loki tossed her phone flippantly onto her bed as if suddenly bored with it and cut his eyes at her.

"Slights that I can't hold against you, I suppose. You were truthfully unaware, after all, that you are mine."

Her heart was suddenly crashing against her ribcage and adrenaline was pulsing through her limbs.

"Y-you wish!"

She made to flee from her room once again, pajamas or no, but the door wouldn't budge. Loki was standing now, watching as she struggled with the doorknob to no avail. It would alternate between not budging or just turning in a full circle as if broken every time she tried to twist it. After a few seconds of trying, she turned around in a huff.

"Let me out right now."

"Do you always run away when you don't want to face something? It's not a good habit to have."

He only came closer as he talked and there wasn't much space in her room to begin with. With the door shut fast all Sutton could do was press herself against the fake wood.

"I'm not trying to impress you," she snapped.

"Part of your charm," he drawled back.

"And I told you to stay away from me."

It was physically impossible for her to put any more distance between them. He was so close she could smell the sharp bite of cold and leather that radiated off him, so she held her breath. The way he was staring intently at her, as if reading her every micro expression, had the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.

"What are you doing?" She couldn't get her voice to be any louder than a whisper, and she silently berated herself for it. She couldn't let him think he had the upper hand here! But still, she stayed plastered against the door and watched him right back.

"Looking."

"Looking for what?"

He reached out a pale hand, fingers long and graceful, and brushed a few locks of hair away from her face. They just barely brushed her skin as they trailed down, over her cheekbone, and then cupped her jaw. He brushed at the skin below her eye with his thumb and smiled.

"Potential," he murmured.

Sutton's breath hitched, she couldn't feel her toes, and she had no clue what was going on. When he chuckled lowly and the pit of her stomach dropped out, something told her she was in trouble.

"There it is."

Her mind unfogged as the sensation of ice swept through her veins and Sutton had a flashing revelation of what he was doing.

" _Ugh_ , no!"

She broke her limbs free of their paralytic state and shoved him away from her. He stepped back, although not quickly enough for her to believe that her shove had had any effect on him. Sutton took a couple deep breaths and continued to berate herself internally. He was going to get all sorts of cocky now, and for all the wrong reasons.

"That wasn't what you think," she argued. He sighed.

"Are you really going to attempt lying to me a second time? As adorable as it may be to watch, you must realize how pointless it is."

Sutton grimaced and tried to backtrack.

"Ok, look. You-you caught me off guard. I don't know what kind of girl you think I am, but there's more to a re- _ugh_ -relationship than just a nice face and voice, ok? And, I'm sorry, I just couldn't like someone who attacked a city and threatened to take over the world."

"What if I said I was sorry?"  
A disbelieving laugh escaped her before she could stop herself, and she stared up at him with humor dancing through her expression.

"You? Be sorry? Mr.  _Rightful Place_?"

He leaned back on one leg and stared at her drolly.

"As much as you profess that I do not know you, you know just as little about me. Would you really give me no chance even if I swore to change my ways?"

That caused her to freeze once again, more wariness in her posture than before, because he had a moderate point with that first claim. And she would probably look like a jerk if she answered his question the way she wanted to; just to stick it to him. She tried the doorknob again without turning around or looking, but it still wouldn't open.

"No," Loki continued on, almost to himself when she didn't answer. "If there is one thing that is clear to see and easy to glean from you and your…. _posts_ , it is that you are a creature of forgiveness, a believer in second chances."

Sutton did not like the conclusions he was coming to. She was still mad he'd gotten the upper hand on her a minute ago, but she was loathe to give him another way to manipulate her. With a swallow, she straightened her spine and lifted her chin, letting her fingers peel away from the door to cross her arms over her chest.

"Well now you've shown your hand," she said. "Good luck with that plan, now that I know your trick."

He laughed again and Sutton didn't like that she liked how it sounded.

"Oh, Sutton." His voice was practically a purr and she hated that too. "I can promise you that it won't be a trick. You still have so much to learn in the way of Soulmates. And by the time Stark and Banner discover a passage to get us home, you won't be able to stand the thought of living without me."

"Oh yeah? We'll just  _see_ about that."


	27. Oneshot - Steve POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was unexpected. 2AM me wrote this for some reason, and I haven't really touched it up much. Please don't judge me too harshly.

Steve didn't mean to fall in love with her. It honestly wasn't even something he thought was possible.

When the team had first realized they were actually in another universe, and had roped Sutton into helping them, she'd been a crutch. A means to an end, in as gentle of a way as possible. She was kind, true, but excitable and anxious. He had admired her giving spirit and felt bad about putting her in a tight spot, but nothing much deeper.

He knew, as well, that she might have liked him. Tony had noted some of her internet history before others had protested that he let her be. But then again, she'd seemed fascinated with all of them. And who wouldn't be, if people you didn't think existed suddenly popped into your life? But beyond a few cheerful smiles and some stumbling speech, she showed little partiality, and Steve thought nothing of it.

And then she'd been forced to travel over with them. And Steve felt terrible. Because of their influence she was ripped away from everything she knew and loved. Torn from her own family and shoved into a world she didn't really know or fully understand. A sort of pang of camaraderie grew in him. As terrible as it was, there was at least one person with some idea of how he felt. And as Sutton learned to settle into her new life, their friendship sort of leveled out. They knew each other and they would talk, but Steve lived and worked with SHIELD and Sutton didn't. He didn't get much free time.

He valued her as a friend. Someone who he could spend a comfortable afternoon with when he had time, a person who would join in on introducing him to things he'd missed out on without being obnoxious about rubbing it in his face for a laugh. She was someone who he could talk to who'd encourage him to take a break, to just be Steve when he could. Even if he didn't exactly take the advice.

She was a friend. A little odd, a little sarcastic, a little awkward, but he enjoyed her presence nonetheless.

It was one casual conversation where she mentioned some coworkers trying to set her up with a guy, snorting quietly as she talked about it, that sent an odd twinge through him. He was her friend, she was always encouraging to him, and this was the part where he should return the favor. But for some reason he didn't want to. He advised her to be cautious instead. Said you never knew about people these days. She'd mildly agreed, assured him that she wasn't interested anyway. Something about timing and adjusting. Steve was a little distracted with trying to figure out why he cared what decision she made.

And then she disappeared.

She was gone and quite possibly dead and there weren't any answers. Steve felt anxious, frustrated, frayed. He would have felt that way for any of the Avengers. But he shouldn't have felt irritated by the presence of Axel Ladino. He shouldn't have cared so much that he was a SHIELD agent sent to woo and wile her to keep track of her more thoroughly. Except that he did.

He took his irritation and anxiousness out on Axel then he took out his fear on mission after mission. If he didn't think about it, he couldn't worry. Nat noticed. She was worried too, he could tell, but she eyed him in a way that told him she suspected something more.

There was no one to talk to. No one to consult for unbiased pop culture recommendations. No one to tell him to just breathe. To send him a picture of a sunset because, "this one was especially nice. Do you paint at all? Or just sketch?"

Steve hadn't realized how much she was a part of his life, his circle, until she just wasn't.

When Tony called to let him know that she had been found, was alive but almost hadn't been, it was then that he realized that he might like her as more than a friend. Because maybe a friend would feel that rush of relief mixed with a dash of fear at what could have happened; and maybe a friend would want to rush to the bedside to see for themselves. But just a friend wouldn't want to hold the person 'til they woke just to know they were close. To listen to them breathe and press their face into their hair just to remember what they smelled like.

Somehow it only cemented his revelation when she woke up different. Quieter. Shaken. A bit hollow. It killed him to see her look so thin and beaten. And he'd meant it. He recognized that shell-shocked look in her eyes. That lingering, haunting dread. A fire licked up inside him at the thought of someone doing this to her. Making her this way. It killed him to know that she refused to open up to even him.

He stayed at the Tower while she did. Took that break from SHIELD for a little bit. He had no idea how to help her. Didn't even know what it was slowly killing her in the first place. But while she grew worse he only realized more and more that he wanted to help. Wanted to be there for her. Wanted her to stop being so  _gosh darn stubborn_  and just tell him what was wrong. But crowding traumatized people wasn't exactly helpful, so he gave her the space she seemed to think she needed. Watched as she slipped from the room when conversations got too pointed, flinched at random and seemingly unconnected words or when someone moved too quickly; ate when they made her, smiled when she had to.

When she finally broke down and told them, it was almost harder. Almost. Steve ached as her voice cracked and trembled. Wondered what she actually thought of him as she looked to him with eyes expecting judgement and disgust. He didn't know what to say, so he'd kept it neutral and felt stupid as she fled the room to cry.

And as she recovered and some of that old life started to spring back up, Steve was reluctant to leave. He reached for excuses to spend time with her. Came up with jogging because of course she'd need help with strengthening her body back up. And who knew about going from a weak heart to an unstoppable one better than Steve Rogers?

She pretended to whine about it, meant some of the things she'd said when she first started having to run, but ultimately always relented. Steve took that as encouragement. He came up with a silly game of questions after their run, just to keep the conversation going. Just to make up an excuse to share about themselves. Hoped that maybe it'd stir something in her if she knew more about him. The real him. Not Captain America, or the comic book character, or the guy who looked like Chris Evans.

Sutton smiled again, real smiles, and it did things to him.

They met up in person more often and she didn't protest. Sometimes she'd initiate it first. She'd laugh with him, have discussions. But more than that, she'd disagree. Sutton grew bolder, told him if she thought something was a bad idea. Wasn't afraid to call him out. Accepted it when he did the same thing back. It was exhilarating. That hero worship that had shone on her eyes and her tone faded. She hadn't called him Captain America since she came back. Yet he still wasn't sure. She was close with Tony too. Maybe she only thought of him as a dear friend. Maybe she didn't see him as anything more at all. He fretted. He moped.

Natasha noticed.

"You think she likes you as just a friend," Nat questioned. Steve was reluctant to admit anything to Nat. Nat who had too much of a mischievous gleam in her eye. Who remembered all even if she said nothing.

"Trust me. She likes you. Sutton is just too self-oblivious and freaked out by timelines and her made up expectations to do anything about it."

Steve wasn't sure about that, but Nat just winked conspiratorially.

"Don't worry. I've got you."

So Nat appointed herself as his personal wingman. She winked, she nudged, she made implications. And she didn't draw new behavior out of Sutton so much as she strove to point out Sutton's normal behavior in the first place.

Sutton sputtered, reddened, backpedaled. She watched him from the corner of her eye more often. Steve hoped and preened.

More chaos cropped up. There were tremors. Sutton had visions. She stared blankly into space and cried. Didn't see him, didn't hear him as he fretfully called out for her. And then he broke through, and he saw the moment the pained fog lifted from her eyes. For a moment she clung to him. Accepted him as a comfort and an anchor. And it felt right.

Of course she turned reckless. He should have known her well enough to see that coming. He knew she still harbored guilt from her past experiences. He knew she was desperate to never do those things again. He hadn't expected her to ask him to kill her.

It was bad enough that she'd been adamant about leaving, out of his reach, when they were fleeing HYDRA. Bad enough that she sacrificed herself while he was still confused and spiraling, trying to process the idea that Bucky was alive.

He refused to even entertain the idea of her desperate plan. He tried to bring her back down again. Ground her. Sighed in relief when she let it go.

And it was terrible, horrible timing. He knew that. The worst possible time to even try to ask for more from her. But he was haunted by the last time he'd hesitated. Refused to let another potential future slip by him.

She accepted. Seemed actually surprised by his interest. But she was giddy. Giddy about going out with  _him._

Steve asked her out for coffee, but he knew. Knew that he'd already decided in his heart. He'd start with coffee, but he was aiming for forever.


	28. Garbage 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok... so... Yeah. I don't have a good excuse for this. There's no saving face here. The only thing I *can* say is that this wasn't all written at once. These are just little snippets and interactions that would come to me and I'd jot them down. Some of them kind of connect, and some are just random moments.
> 
> I didn't realize how much it'd added up until it was already embarrassing. (I was actually debating posting this at all.) But if my not-so-secret shame can possibly brighten someone's day... then so be it.

Sutton was trying to convince Clint that the team most definitely did not need to watch every movie made about them when a hush settled over the living room. Everyone in the vicinity stopped what they were doing and turned to look as Loki stood stoically in the doorway. Sutton let her rant die on her tongue as she watched with the rest. After the discussions she'd had with him, she was understandably more than wary.

Loki lightly cleared his throat, his hands were hidden behind his back as he stood painfully straight, and he sneered briefly.

"I find myself in the position of having to state that, perhaps, many of my previous actions were… ill advised. Although I will not accept full blame for all events that took place in New York, I do…" He paused to swallow as if bile had risen up his throat. "I do find myself regretting what transpired."

Sutton's jaw dropped open and a cotton ball could have been heard hitting the carpet. No one moved as Loki abruptly turned on his heel and strode back down the hall from where he'd come. A low whistle rang through the room.

"Dang, Sutton," Tony said in shock. "What'd you do to him?"

She'd been being sarcastic and scathing when she'd informed him earlier that,  _'sure. Why not! An apology is the first thing on a long list of things you'd have to do to get me to even consider dating you.'_

Sutton wet her suddenly dry lips and swallowed. She had a very bad feeling about this.

**[]**

As time trickled on things only got worse. Sutton supposed it could actually be seen as getting better, if she'd been open to being courted. Thor certainly seemed to be pleased by Loki's recent change in behavior.

There was a cup of coffee all fixed and ready and waiting for her on the counter in the mornings now, more than once flowers had shown up at her work, and Loki was definitely being less adversarial towards the team. Sutton still hadn't quite recovered from the, perhaps a bit vague, attempt at an apology.

_**[additional story/transition im not going to invest time into writing goes here]** _

Sutton brought home a buffet of Indian food for dinner. She'd made sure everyone was ok with curry before indulging in her favorite mom and pop place. A woman could only eat so many sandwiches before the idea of one made her want to puke. There were three full bags of food and she'd gotten quite a look from the owners who were familiar with her usual order.

"I got dinner," she called out as she kicked her own front door open. It seemed kind of pointless to lock it now that the Avengers had taken up residence for the time being.

_**[transition/melodramatic description of Sutton having a fun, passionate conversation w/team, moonbeams are reflecting in her eyes and she is glowing and all that jazz, bc Loki is a lovesick loser]** _

When she looked up, Loki was staring at her. There was a softness to his gaze and peace to his smile that made her stomach do a little flip. No one, no guy, had ever quite looked at her like that before. Not that she'd noticed anyway. Not like she was something to be cherished, or a presence to be soaked in.

 _It's Loki,_  she reminded herself.  _He's Silvertongue. A liar. He's very good at knowing how to get to people to react._

Because she couldn't allow herself to think any of what he was doing was sincere or authentic. It felt too foolish. Too vulnerable. And it was an even more dangerous trail for her thoughts to wander down. Because if he was being genuine….

Sutton shoved a forkful of chicken saag in her mouth and busied herself with chewing as she felt him draw closer. The chair next to hers pulled out and she shoveled more food in her mouth.

"I take it you're quite fond of this cuisine, then."

Sutton flashed a closed lip, full cheek smile at him before turning back to her plate. The longer they all stayed in her home, the less she liked having Loki near her.

Or, rather, she didn't. And that was the sort of problem she was trying to nip in the bud.

Eventually, she had to swallow her mouthful of rice and speak to him. She found that he only grew more persistent the more she tried to ignore him.

"I've always liked curry," she said.

"What's life without a bit of spice, after all," Loki agreed.

She couldn't help but let out a small snort.

"I suppose you consider yourself that bit of spice."

His grin grew.

"You said it. Not me."

"Please. I can read in between the lines, believe it or not."

It was only encouraging him, she realized. He looked happy at her retorts, not deterred. Maybe she wasn't being mean enough?

"You've got to stop sending flowers to my work, by the way." Loki blinked a bit at her sudden change of subject, and Sutton felt a little victorious for it.

"Flowers," he questioned. "From me?" He ran a hand through his raven hair and looked at her in befuddlement. "My, was there a note attached to them?"

Sutton's mouth dipped into a frown.

"I know they were from you. Who else would send green, black, and gold roses? That color combination is practically a signature.  _What is that? Green and gold? Must be Loki's_ ," she mocked. His eyes gleamed in amusement. "Honestly. Jen is starting to ask questions that I can't answer and she's getting suspicious."

"Is that so?"

"Yes!"

Loki put his elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand as he continued to gaze on her.

"Maybe we should come up with a story, then. Hm?"

Sutton glared and stood. She took her plate and marched to the sink and started on some of the dishes.

"I told you, there's no ' _we'_." She flipped the faucet on full blast and let the water pressure remove most of the leftover food. Loki was still sitting in the chair, but turned to face her. He didn't look devastated at her declaration.

Still not mean enough.

"Is that how you get through the day? Just repeating that to yourself?"

"I mean it," she insisted. "You just don't know how to take a hint."

"I might respect it if you weren't lying through your teeth."

Sutton scoffed loudly, dropping a plastic cup down in outrage as she prepared a rebuttal. Before she could spout out words of denial, another voice interrupted.

"Hey, could you two turn down the domestic argument? Some of us are trying to actually be productive!"

When Sutton woke the next morning, the clothes she'd picked out and sat on the floor of the bathroom had been radically altered. She had chosen a simple black pencil skirt, with a pink button up to go under a gray sweater. Now she stared in horror at what lay neatly folded in a pile. The skirt may have still been black, but the button up was now a metallic gold color, and the sweater a deep emerald green. She gripped the fabric between her fingers and stifled an angry yell.

She was going to kill him.

But she didn't have much of a choice but to change into the clothes. Going into her room with sleeping people in it wasn't really an option, and she hated being seen in her pajamas. After putting on the clothes and finishing her other morning routines, she stormed out into the dining room in a huff. It was dark and empty, but there was a mug on the counter filled with still steaming coffee.

She nearly messed up her hair in frustration, but remembered that she'd pinned it at the last second.

"Loki!" She hissed. "I know you're awake. There's no way you'd miss my reaction, right? Change my clothes back right now!"

There was no response and the room remained empty save for herself. Part of her was tempted to just go barge into the room he was staying in and start screeching until he just did what she wanted to make her stop. But he wasn't staying in a room alone, and Sutton was loathe to bother anyone else with her issues. They'd probably find her petty and whiny, and maybe she was but this was ridiculous!

How'd he even change her clothes anyway? Do magic through the door? Or worse! Sneak in while she was sleeping?

Either way it didn't matter. Her clothes made her look like she was trying to steal a certain someone's look and Jen noticed.

And the entire office noticed when a bouquet arrived for her that was twice as large as the day before's. This one had a note. Sutton made sure she opened it in private.

 _Green and gold,_ it said.  _Must be Loki's._

The button up and sweater she was wearing were suddenly much too hot.

**[]**

Another month went by and Sutton found herself locked in the bathroom, trying not to make a lot of noise as she slightly hyperventilated.

There wasn't exactly one thing that had set her off. She was more comfortable around the team now, and had lost some of the anxiety that came with fictional strangers staying in your house. No; the problem was with Loki. Always Loki. He hadn't reverted back to his nasty, uncaring personality and it was freaking her out.

She actually- she actually sort of liked having him around.

Which was why she was currently locked in the bathroom.

Her own room wasn't safe. Half of the time when she tried to hermit herself away in there he ended up following whether invited or not.  _And he never was._

Sutton took a deep breath and sat on the toilet lid with her head in her hands. She could still do this. She could still get him to leave if she tried hard enough, right? Words on skin could only get you so far,  _right?_

All she had to do was something big. Really big to-to- devastate him?

He was the bad guy! He was the untrustworthy one that could stab you in the back just as soon as he could save you, wasn't he? She shouldn't feel...feel guilty for doing what she had to do to keep herself from being entangled with him.

She just had to forget the soft glances, the easy smiles, the ways his eyes shone when she was purposefully being difficult or the gentle touches he'd try to steal when she wasn't paying attention.

Sutton clenched her eyes shut and ran her hands down to pull on the back of her neck. If he knew, if he had any idea she was so conflicted, it'd be over for her. He had been resilient when she first scorned him; he'd be impossible to stop if he thought he had a chance. And scarier still, Sutton wasn't sure how she'd react.

Time continued on. Sutton almost forgot what it was like to have an empty house, extra money, and to feel normal. Two government agents stopped by to question her, and Sutton was fumbling and stuttering so badly that Loki had to come out and save her. And he did it on purpose, she knew he did. Because he came out rubbing wet hair with a towel and no shirt on, with his hair all short and Tom Hiddleston-y and her mouth sort of dropped open for a moment.

And when the agents were chased away and he wore such a smug grin as his illusion melted away, and she was met with a no less attractive figure, she could only glower and leave the house for a walk around the neighborhood red-faced.

She knew he noticed the following difference in her attitude. Everyone did. If anyone had asked she'd have assured them that she was just as miserable as she was probably making them. One moment she'd be fine, and then Loki would appear and she'd be silent and moody. Sometimes, if she were worked up or tired enough, she might forget herself and laugh with him or nudge the Asgardian-pain-in-the-neck, but then the realization of what she'd done would cause her to clam up twice as much.

Her bedroom was almost just a storage space to her now. The only times she entered it was when she needed clothes or some other odd trinket. Every once in awhile she was able to steal some alone time. But there was always that lingering fear at being caught alone, so she rarely took the opportunity.

At the moment she didn't have a choice. She had to find a screwdriver or whatever that Tony was demanding, and she was sure she'd last used one in here to hang a picture frame up or fix her mirror or something. Her luck it'd end up being in the very back of her closet under a pile of clothes. She pulled open another desk drawer, muttering to herself about stupid tools, when the bed creaked. Sutton froze with her hand still on the drawer handle before she straightened her spine and turned around.

Loki was sitting on her bed. He was actually leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he stared intently up at her. Sutton forced her jaw to relax even as she remained stock still and rooted to the carpet.

"Can I help you with something?"

He was picking at his nails. He did that when he was thinking about something seriously or anxious. She waited for a snarky reply or scathing glare, but neither came. Instead he pinned her with an expression so intent, so confused, that her breath left her.

"What's wrong?"

She caught her breath.

"Nothing is wrong, except that you're popping into my room uninvited again," she snapped. Loki frowned. He didn't get up or move, but Sutton still felt cornered. Why did this happen every time? And why did the idea of biting his head off now make her feel worse rather than liberated?

"No," he said lowly. "You snapped. Before, you were opening up. Now you're avoiding me again. What happened?"  
Sutton gnawed on her tongue while he spoke. He wasn't mincing words and something told her not to even try the door. It had been cracked open when she'd come in and now it was closed.

"I've always been avoiding you. You're just always around."

"You finally accepted the coffee on the counter after a week. The flowers are still in your office, if I'm not mistaken, and you were trying to steal looks at me when you thought I wasn't paying attention. But now you're being irritable and confrontational. So I ask again, what happened?"

Sutton clenched and unclenched her fists a few times unknowingly as she fought to come up with some sort of answer. He wasn't going to let her out of the room until he was satisfied.

"I never asked for this," she finally said. "I never asked to be included in your crazy world and weird, fantasy connections! I didn't want it."

Loki finally stood. His own eyes were gleaming with the sort of frayed, emotional exhaustion that Sutton had been suffering for weeks.

"And you think I did? You believe that I somehow schemed this into being? Or that I wanted such a complicated Soulmate situation? Yes," he mocked, "it was my dream to have my Soulmate find me with already formed opinions on my character. When all I ever wanted-"

He cut himself off then, and Sutton felt emotion rise up only to get stuck in the middle of her throat. She stood stiffly as he approached her. It was hard enough to keep it together alone, harder still when people actually forced her to talk to them. She didn't know if she could handle it if he stared at her like she was stabbing him in the chest.

"What did I do?"

His voice almost broke her. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to keep her breathing even while her diaphragm convulsed. He sounded so lost. Like he thought all his attempts at being a better person were worthless.

And this was the part. If she really wanted to get rid of him, this was the moment of opportunity. Right here, right now, she could shatter him. With the right arrangement of words, she could make sure he wouldn't even want to look at her ever again. One short cry slipped out, but she sucked it back in, her nails digging in her her palm at her side as she tried to talk.

"I can't-"

He kept himself from touching her, she could see his fingers flexing at his side as he stood merely a foot away. Sutton inhaled shakily and tried again.

"I can't do this," she said. The rest of the words were piling up in her head, and she vehemently wanted to let them shrivel up and die without the chance to echo off the walls. They were too raw and honest, and he'd  _know_  if she let them out. He'd know too much. More than she wanted to even admit to herself. "You can't-can't just change because of me." She finally settled on. She took a step back away from him as she latched onto the train of thought and prepared to run with it.

"It won't last. It's like a- a honeymoon high. You'll get bored or resentful. I'll mess up or be bland because I'm not perfect and you'll be disappointed, and then were would we be, huh?"

"Foolish woman," Loki chided. "You really have no idea how Soulmates work, do you? Do you not understand what they mean for us? Have I not proven that I'll do whatever I must to please you?"

"Don't make this about me! I didn't ask you to-"  
"You didn't have to." Loki interrupted. He eyed her up and down, suddenly studying her and Sutton had to look away. She glanced at the door, but it was still closed.

"This isn't anything I did, is it," he said. Sutton noted there was no inflection at the end; it wasn't a question. She shot him a glare as he took another step nearer. "Or rather, I did something right. You're afraid."

"You're, like, a six and a half foot alien with magic, of course-"

"No. Not of me. Of yourself. You- you're starting to grow fond of me, aren't you?"

Sutton's gaze locked onto him and she lifted her arm up and twisted away as he reached for her. Now she was closer to her bed, and the door, but her eyes were still locked on Loki.

"No," she snapped too quickly. Loki's face brightened far too much, his lips curled up and Sutton felt the opportunity to get rid of him slip through her fingers.

"Why do you fight it?"

And then he was closer than before, his fingers trailing up her arms, over her shoulders, and cupping the back of her head before she could run away. She was frozen. His touch was cool, firm, somehow reassuring.

"I'm not," she tried to insist. "I don't have to. You-you're just too stubborn to accept rejection."

He pulled her up closer then, until she was on her tiptoes and he leaned down to touch their foreheads together.

"Lies." He breathed.

And at that moment Sutton felt one more small puzzle piece click into place. He might have been kinder since arriving here, but he was still Loki. He was determined and fluid, and he was still a master manipulator. Even if it wasn't necessarily for nefarious purposes. Somehow he'd gotten under her skin and started worming his way into the crevices of her. He wasn't melting down walls so much as he was freezing and thawing and freezing again, chipping away at pieces until there was an opening he could work through.

The truth, her real fear, bubbled up and with him so close it was hard to force herself to keep up the lie. She wondered if he was using some kind of magic to ferret out the truth, or if she were just that far gone.

"Loving you would cost me everything," she confessed. His eyes were closed as he continued to keep them connected. Sutton wobbled, then reached up and held his arms to keep her balance.

"I know," he said. She took comfort in the fact that he sounded genuinely sympathetic. Letting out a shaky sigh, she looked up at his face, much too close and handsome, through her damp lashes.

"So, are you going to stop then?"

He opened his eyes at that. Sutton was forced to stare into his sharp green eyes that did not hold the sadness she was looking for. Only a new determination. Her stomach rolled.

"No. Perhaps a better man would, but I am selfish creature. You already knew that. And I warned you at the very beginning. You should have listened."

**[][]**

The car was going to be crowded. There was no doubt about that. She only just had enough seats for everyone, and even that was debatable given the size of some of these guys. Who knew her gas guzzling SUV would actually be a blessing one day?

With the trunk packed with bags and improvised tech and the seats all taken, Sutton was sure it'd was going to be an interesting road trip. And she'd thought it'd gotten stuffy being stuck in the car with her own family for hours.

And yet, she had to go with them; at least until this had all cleared up and she had a decent alibi to give to the agents surely enroute. Better make sure it was a good one.

Sutton sighed and peered into the car. Some people had piled in already; Thor had shoved himself and Loki in the back. Probably because people were still feeling on edge about the darker Asgardian prince, Soulmate or no. And it was most likely considered kind to keep him away from Clint, considering their initial introductions. In the middle row sat Steve next to the window and up front Bruce in the driver's seat while Tony seemed to have called shotgun. She climbed into the back and made for the seat next to Steve. With a huff, she dropped down into the middle and let her head bump against the headrest while she cut her eyes at America's hero.

"Well," she said, "I guess we're in for a long-hey!"  
There were two hands clamped around her arms like cuffs, and suddenly she was being lifted up and dragged roughly over the seat as she kicked in outrage.

"Let go! What the-"

She found herself unceremoniously dumped into the back window seat and squished in between the side of the car and Loki. Before she could move or protest further, there was pale, corded arm passing in front of her and the seat belt was pulled over her and clicked into place.

"If I had  _wanted_  to sit in the back next to you, I would have."

It was all she could do to keep her tone even. Loki simply looked smug while Thor, the poor thing, looked tired.

"I'm merely saving you from regret," Loki supplied. He sighed dramatically and shifted so that Sutton was further smooshed into his side. She glowered up at him from under her brows as she desperately tried to move closer to window. As Thor and Loki were two of the largest in the group, it wasn't working out well.

"The only thing I regret is opening my big, fat mouth and talking to you," she muttered under her breath. He stiffened for a moment, but then he loosened back up as he reached over and began brushing back her hair from her face.

"I'm sure you do," he said, as if speaking to a child. Sutton tried to bat his hand away, but he was persistent. Thor shifted, probably trying to stretch out his legs already, and it forced Loki closer to her. His arm ended up looped around the back of her head, with his hand now playing with the hair on the side of her head next to the window. Sutton lifted her hand as high as she could, considering the way she was being pinned. But no amount of huffing or pulling at his grip was getting him to stop, so she eventually crossed her arms as the rest piled in the car and prepared to drive off.

When he moved from superficially petting at her hair to lightly digging his fingers into the curls and rubbing at her scalp, Sutton had to clench her teeth and remind herself that he was a pest. Her mother had always played with her hair when she was younger, and it was a weakness with her. Who didn't like it, really? But Loki shouldn't, couldn't know that.

Except for he did.

Her muscles started to go slack against her will, and she forced herself to straighten back up. Her glare intensified and Loki just looked down at her lovingly.

"Knock it off," she muttered. Now that everyone was in the car and they were moving along at a clip, she felt more than self conscious about drawing attention to her situation. Loki clicked his tongue at her.

"And deny us both? Now why would I do that?"  
His fingers were cool. Was her hair always this hot? Sutton tried to shake her head to dispel the thought, but his hand at the back of her neck made that hard to do.

"You're really asking for it." She hissed. "You're taking advantage of the situation."

He laughed lightly, his eyes shining as he continued to gaze down at her.

"Would you really expect anything less? Or did you truly believe I'd changed so much?"

Her face reddened at the reminder of their last big confrontation. It hadn't been a truce so much as a laying of lines. Loki had made it clear he still meant to pursue, Sutton that she would continue to try and thwart him. At the moment, he probably believed himself to be the one with the advantage.

The competitive side of Sutton desperately wanted to take that idea and break it over his head.

The road trip didn't exactly get any better from there. If you take a group of people who had just managed to tolerate and work together enough to save the world and toss them in a box with the very person they'd been banded together to defeat, you couldn't hope for much.

The only constant as the trip progressed was Loki's hand idly stroking at her hair, and after awhile Sutton couldn't help but feel her eyes grow heavy as her body went slack.

**[]**

She was warm as she hummed lightly in the back of her throat. But not too warm. Her pillow was cool and offset the heat of the blankets just enough to create the most delicious temperature. Sutton pressed her face further into the pillow, rubbing her cheek against it as she stretched her legs. The muffled thought that she loved her body pillow and had desperately missed it slipped lazily through her mind. One of her legs was draped over it and she pulled it up higher as she tightened her hold on it. Her other arm was oddly pinned underneath it, but it wasn't quite painful at the moment.

It smelled like that one Yankee candle she'd gotten as a joke. Smelled like cedar and musk, like the boyfriend she didn't have. She liked that her pillow smelled like it now too. Sutton let out another deep contented hum, and the pillow laughed.

Sutton stiffened. Pillows didn't laugh.

Her eyes snapped open and her vision was overtaken with a rich green. Her own breathing hitched as her eyes timidly crawled up, out of the green, to be met with an expanse of pale neck, and then further up to the attached pale face.

"GAH!"

Sutton spasmed. She tried to throw herself as far away from the body as possible, but her left arm was still pinned and she ended up just flopping on her back in a tangle of sheets. Instead, she kicked violently at his legs with her own, but that was difficult as well; Loki rolled his eyes.

"And it was looking to be such a pleasant morning," he lamented. Enough pressure left her arm that she could pull it out from under his torso, and Sutton removed herself from the bed completely, stumbling onto her feet and battling with her hair that was springing up in all directions.

"What the HECK."

"Told you she wouldn't be happy," a voice across the room muttered. Sutton's gaze shot over to Clint, her face immediately going hot as a few others mingled in what was obviously a hotel room. Her embarrassment only flared further as Loki languidly sat up on the mattress and arced his back as he gave her his own contented hum.

"I don't think I've slept so well in years," he said. "We should do it again sometime."  
"Not a chance," Sutton snapped. Thanks to whatever luck she might have been hoarding, she was still in her clothes. Only her socks and shoes had been removed and she breathed a sigh of relief at that.

"How dare you," she continued. "I was asleep and you-you forced me to-to flippin' cuddle with y-"

"Forced?" Loki interjected. His tone was colored with insult. "My dear, you're the one who came crawling over to me."

Her face couldn't possibly get any hotter and her whole body was engulfed in a blood-draining wave of humiliation.

"That! That's no excuse! I was  _sleeping._  You-you're a- a scoundrel!"

"Whoa now." Tony was at the hotel room's small desk and didn't even look up from the laptop he'd stolen from her. "Watch the language," he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "You might break his fragile little heart."

"Do you really want to be making Han and Leia parallels," Natasha asked dryly.

Sutton promptly shut her mouth. Loki tilted his head to the side, obviously not fully understanding the reference, but knowing it had to be something in his favor to get Sutton to shut up so quickly.

"It is  _not_  like that," she defended. Her glare turned to Loki and she pointed an angry finger at him. " _It's not!"_

Bruce was next to Tony, picking at his nails a bit too idly to be genuinely, truly casual.

"Well, technically Loki is the royalty in this situation."

Natasha fought back a smirk.

"You could consider her to be  _smuggling_  us around."  
Sutton just gaped.

"Bruce," she questioned, her voice high. "Et tu, Bruce?"

"Leave her alone," Clint interrupted. "She's already got a raw enough deal in landing with  _that one_."

Loki prickled slightly, but then stood and stretched again. Sutton watched as he reached his arms high above his head and pinned her with another haughty stare.

"She didn't seem to mind a moment ago." He grinned wolfishly at her and Sutton pressed her lips into a thin line. "Was practically purring in contentment, if I remember correctly."

"I'm gonna kill you." Sutton was practically growling now. Loki tilted his head down at her, giving her a set of puppy eyes and jutting out his bottom lip in a pout. The act shocked Sutton with it's almost innocent playfulness. For a second she just blinked at the act in surprise. She actually had to bit down on her tongue to keep from laughing.

"Yeah." She deadpanned after clearing her throat. "We're not in a place where that's going to work on me."

She looked away from him after that, because a dark insidious voice in her mind said that it sort of did. And that she had liked hugging him. And if she looked at him while thinking that there was the chance he'd be able to somehow read it in her eyes. He at least always wore a look that said he knew.

Sutton really hoped there wasn't some weird Soulmate mind-reading connection thing that no one had told her about.

**[][]**

_**[cue unexplained battle sequence]** _

The cry left her lips without thought. She didn't have the mind to worry about how it'd be interpreted or what it would mean for her. All she knew was that Loki had taken a hit and been sent rolling and it threw her own heart into pounding out an irregular rhythm.

"Loki!"

Sutton sprang to her feet and pushed herself forward. She dove through the mess of fighting bodies, almost deaf to the noises around her. The air was thick with sweat and dust as she panted desperate breaths. One body came crashing in front of her and she skittered to a stop, letting it fall and tumble away before she jumped over it and continued on.

Loki hadn't moved from where he'd fallen, and Sutton felt the air knot like a fist in her throat. She fell to her knees beside him. He was on his back, eyes closed and head lolled to the side; his hair was splayed out around him like a dark halo. Sutton lifted shaking hands to cup the sides of his face. She couldn't tell if the coolness of his skin right now was natural or not. She prayed that it was.

"Loki." She breathed. "Loki, you're ok. You have to be ok. Wake up. Come on, you took a beating from the Hulk and came out just fine, this is nothing."

She thought she might have felt a faint pulse beneath her fingers as she clutched at him, but she moved one hand to brush some hair away from his face and it might have just been her own heart beating through her fingers. Her eyes were hot, there was a yell and a boom in the distance, but she hardly flinched.

"You stupid man; if you don't get up I'll hate you forever." Sutton choked as he continued to lie still. Her throat felt even tighter, and she could hardly make any sound at all. "I need you, ok? You did it; you made me care about you. Are you happy now?"

The sound of a larger explosion rocked the room, Sutton could feel the ground under her shudder, and she looked up to see Steve waving frantically at her from across the room.

"Watch out!"

She turned just in time to see a chunk of debris hurtling right at her. There was nowhere to go and no time to get there. Sutton curled over Loki's body and clenched her eyes closed, gritting her teeth, and waited for the inevitable pain. But then something was tightly holding her back, and there was a loud bang and a crash, and she snapped her head up in time to see the debris ricochet away from her and go flying off harmlessly into an unpopulated area. A shimmer of blue rippled from the corner of her eye before it was gone.

Sutton turned back to look on who'd saved her life and was not entirely surprised to see Loki. His eyes were bright and grip still firm where his arm was wound around her back, his fingers were splayed out and pressing against the cotton of her shirt and sinking into her skin. He grinned at her.

"I believe I'm beyond happy; thank you," he said. "That was quite a confession, I have to say. It truly moved me."  
Sutton blinked in a shocked stupor before her face snaked into a scowl and she let out an outraged cry. He only laughed as she punched him in the chest a few times, furious.

"You were never hurt, were you," she yelled. "We are in a fight for our lives," she hit him again, "and you take the time,"  _hit,_ "to try and prove,"  _hit,_ "a,"  _hit,_ "point!"

He laughed freely, the sound careless and conflicting with their current situation. She went to whack him again, but he caught her wrists easily and pulled her closer as he grinned ecstatically down at her.

"Careful not to hurt me, love. You need me after all, remember?"

**[][]**

Despite the fact that it had been made clear that Loki  _preferred_  her to wait for him before going off and exploring Asgard, Sutton slipped out of the guest room that had been prepared for her and made her way into the halls of Asgard's palace. She hadn't been expressly told to stay put in the palace itself, in so many words, and she didn't see the harm in taking a bit of a look around on her own.

And even if she had been directly told to wait, she was a grown woman and probably would have left her room even earlier just to prove a point.

She felt regal and royal as she glided down the marble and gold halls in her Asgardian dress. It flowed over her skin like a silken waterfall, cinching around her middle in what was probably an attempt to give her an hourglass waist. The fact that it was a calming lavender, instead of a green, was appreciated.

Sutton turned down another random hall as she let her fingers trail against the cool walls. It really was a beautiful place. Giant, ancient columns rose up on either side of the hall like a shining rib cage and rich tapestries hung on the walls, depicting past Asgardian glories.

There was an echo of footsteps behind her, and Sutton turned to see what was probably some palace guard clipping down the hall towards her. She shifted to the side of the hall so that he could pass easily, but he did not continue on as he met with her. Sutton tilted her head as she nodded in acknowledgement of him.

"Um, hi."

A tingling shot up her spine at the expression he pinned her with, but she smoothed out her dress and lifted her chin up as she waited for him to speak.

"You are the monster's wench, are you not?"

Something hot sparked in her stomach and Sutton's genteel stare turned into a glare.

"I believe the polite term is ' _monster's betrothed'._ "

She gave him a rueful once over as he glared openly at her. He was certainly some sort of worker in the palace, and her guess of guard only solidified as she spied the sword in the scabbard at his side. Perhaps he might have had a kind face beneath his helmet if it wasn't so twisted in disgust. Sutton decided it was best to take her leave. Generally conversations with openings like the one he'd used didn't go well.

Turning on her heel, Sutton made to head back the way she'd came, but the Asgardian didn't seem to be finished yet.

"You willingly betray your own kind, every kind, and accept a Jotun beast as your intended? What kind of darkness must be in you to have been matched with such a creature?"

A prickle ran up Sutton's spine, but she kept walking. She'd already come to terms with who she was Soulmates with. She'd already seen him change and grow. And she'd already decided that she wasn't going to care what other people thought. He still had some redemption to earn, sure, but he was working on it; she didn't care what some nameless man thought of her.

"You can pack sand," she said over her shoulder. She could hear footsteps behind her again and her heart jumped a little into her throat.

"He remains free because of you. Because of your bond. A Jotun and a Midgardian in the line of Asgard." He scoffed. "He is a false prince, and deserves to rot."  
Sutton spun back around on the ball of her foot, her face twisted downward in an angry scowl.

"Well, how about this? Instead of bothering  _me_  with your racist problems, which I can't help, how about you write down all of your hurt feelings in as many of the simple words you know, shove that letter into an envelope and stuff it-"

He swung at her.

Sutton saw him make a fist and pull back, his expression hard as he aimed the blow right at her face. She fell back, trying to escape his range, and managed to put enough distance between them that the hit merely glanced the side of her face instead of hitting her full on. The impact sent her falling back and she reached out, managing to grip the hilt of his sword and pull it with her.

The guard seemed surprised by her move and surged forward, but she held the sword out at him threateningly as she staggered to her feet.

"Back off!"

Her eye was already weeping and pain throbbed through her skull. She held her left hand up to her eye as she continued to point the end of the sword at his throat.

It hurt. Oh gosh, did it hurt. If he'd hit her as he'd intended, Sutton wasn't sure she'd be conscious, or alive. Two of him flickered in her vision as it was. She glared at him with her good eye and held back tears.

"Loki may have done monstrous things, but the only monster I see right now is you." She spat. "And if you  _ever_  even think about touching me again, I'll make sure you see this sword in an entirely new sort of way."

She backed away then and the guard remained still. Sutton wanted to believe it was because she was intimidating and had his weapon, but she heard the echo of more feet coming up behind him and had to admit that was what probably stayed him.

He didn't follow her, at least, and three halls later she finally dropped the sword as she found her way back to her own room.

Her face was already bruising. Sutton stood before a full length mirror and finally let herself cry a little as she inspected her face. The corner around her left eye was swollen and turning a dark, mottled purple and blue. She prodded at it gently and hissed at the sharp wave of pain the swept through her face. A following gasp left her as she felt the pain all the way into her bone.

Loki would have a fit.

Oh. Oh, no.

Sutton shot a panicked look at her bedroom door and prayed that it stayed closed. He couldn't find out. He'd be furious. More than furious. And he'd been doing so well since he came back to Asgard. If he found out she'd been hurt or threatened, that could set back all the progress he'd made.

She couldn't let that happen because she'd wandered off alone and met a jerk of a guard.

Sutton hastily removed all the pins that the handmaidens had used to put up her hair and pulled her hair over her left shoulder. As much as her hair could be the bane of her existence, there were some benefits to having a head as full as hers. She pulled a chunk of hair down over the corner of her eye, until it was almost covered in the way that was so popular in the late 90s. Her left eye just peeked out of the thick curtain of hair, and she found if she pinned it enough and turned her body instead of just her neck, the hair stayed in place. With a bit of additional powders on her face, she didn't think anyone would really notice.

So she just had to wear her hair this way for the next couple, what, weeks?

Right. That was totally going to work.

An hour or so later and there was a knock at her door before it swung open. Loki stepped through, and Sutton felt her stomach freefall as she forced herself to not play with her hair. Loki smiled easily at her as he entered the room, and she tried to return the expression. It was just hard when her face felt tight, and the chance of him finding out she was hiding something was dancing merrily before her.

"Hello, love."

He bent down to give her a chaste kiss, and Sutton made sure to turn her head so that he only could peck the right side. She saw the look he gave her, but his lips twisted back up quickly as she grew hot.

Ok, yes. She could use this. Being affectionate with Loki was still new. She often felt like a new colt trying to figure out how its legs worked as she navigated this growing relationship. Her uncertainty and discomfort could be used to her advantage.

"Hey," she said in response. "Have a, uh, good day so far?"  
Loki sighed loudly and flopped down on her bed.

"Better now," he said. He craned his head up slightly and waved at her. "Come here."

Sutton bit her tongue and sat on the edge of the bed, making sure not to move her head too far to the side as she looked down at him.

"Bad enough to need a nap?" She tsked. Loki smiled.

"Hmm, sounds lovely. Join me."

He moved to grab her arm and pull her down with him, but Sutton stood before he could reach her and moved away from the bed.

"I don't think so," she said.

Loki sat up in a huff, running his hand through his hair as he pouted at her.

"You're being elusive today."

"There has to be boundaries."  
"And you were quite clear about them. I don't think this viol-"

He cut himself off mid-sentence and suddenly studied her. Sutton tried not to stiffen as he squinted at her head.

"You changed your hair," he said. Sutton's heart skipped a beat.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I was, uh, getting a headache. All the pins," she explained. She wasn't sure what to do with her hands as he looked at her. It was hard not to fidget, but she knew better than to let herself squirm. And she kept eye contact, as hard as it was. Clint had said that was her tell, and she was going to use that information to her advantage all she could.

"Why did you pin it like that," Loki eventually asked. He pointed to the way she curved her hair over her face. "It must be impairing your vision."

She couldn't stop herself in time from reaching up and making sure the hair was still in place. Luck was in her favor that the swelling hadn't completely overtaken her eye.

"It's an earth fashion thing," she said.

"I've never seen you do it like that before."

"Well, I, I've been on a kick of trying new things, right? I figured why not style too."  
He frowned at her a moment longer before his face melted into a smile. Sutton knew better than to sigh in relief quite yet. She maintained her distance as he gestured at her again.

"Your hair has always been fine as it is," he said silkily. "You shouldn't hide your face so. Won't you brush it back so I can actually see you?"

Panic took flight in her gut. It was a dangerous voice he was using. She recognized it. He didn't quite believe her and was starting to get edgy. His voice always dropped to a smooth purr when he was trying to provoke her into telling him the truth.

"No." She crossed her arms over her chest. "It's my hair, I can do what I want with it, Loki."

He stood then, and Sutton took a step back to keep distance between them. His gaze flickered as he noted the movement and looked back at her. They maintained silent eye contact for a moment, and Sutton fancied she could see him warring with his thoughts as his eyes shifted color in the light and his jaw ticked.

"You demanded open communication if I ever wanted a relationship with you," he finally said. "You said you had to be able to trust me. I demand the same."

Sutton flinched. His words struck home harder and with more impact than if he'd started calling her a liar. Because he was right. She couldn't make demands and have double standards if she wanted a lasting relationship. Loki waited, stoic and silent, while she stewed in her own internal debate, torn between the honesty of his words and her fear of his reaction.

"Can you accept a partial answer and leave it alone if I tell you it's for your-"

"No."  
Her teeth clicked together as he cut her off and she scowled. But the movement caused another wave of pain to shoot through her face and he noticed her wince.

"Show me."

His voice was a bit raspy, and she couldn't see his hands from behind his back. She assumed he was gripping his arms to keep himself from pushing her hair from her face himself. The restraint reminded her of just how far they'd come, of how hard he was trying to uphold what she'd demanded of him about boundaries and respect.

Her eyes fell to the floor as she slowly removed the pins holding her hair in place. She took a deep, steadying breath as her fingers curled around the lock of hair.

"Promise you won't get mad?"

"I will not make a promise to you that I cannot keep."  
Sutton grit her teeth, accepting the honesty for what it was, and tucked her hair behind her ear. She looked up at his face, watching his reaction as his eyes locked onto the mottled skin which had surely grown darker in color as they'd talked. Her head still throbbed something fierce, but it almost became a background pulsing as she saw Loki's face shift from firm and determined to downright murderous.

He came closer to her and this time Sutton didn't back away. She let him delicately twist her face up so that he could further inspect the bruise as he wanted. No use in being shy about it now. His cool skin actually felt good on her heated bruise and she let out a little sigh. Reaching up, she moved his hand so that his palm was against her skin.

"That actually feels good," she said. Looking up at him, she tried to diffuse the mood with a half-hearted smirk. "You're actually kind of useful as an ice pack. And a bit more handsome too."

But not even her bold attempt at flirting softened his features. He merely cupped her face, forcing her head up as he bore into her eyes.

"Who did this to you."  
Her attempt at a smirk fell.

"Loki-"

"Who?"

Sutton gnawed at her lip. She tried to reach up and stroke his hands comfortingly, but his expression didn't soften. If anything he lowered his brows further and she could see the fury only growing as she drew the answer out.

"I don't know him," she finally confessed. Loki stiffened. "I think he was a guard."

He let go of her face and turned to exit her room so quickly that Sutton had to run to keep up. She trailed after him, trying to tug on his arm and pull away his attention, but he continued to plow onward.

"Loki; Loki stop. I'm fine! I'm ok! It's just a bruise; it's not worth it."

All of his movements were sharp, clipped, restrained in a way that reminded her of a tensing wild cat.

"Not worth it?" He snarled. "He could have killed you."

Sutton caught his clenched fist and rubbed her thumbs over his icy white knuckles.

"He didn't," she insisted. "I dodged most of it; I'm ok."

But her words had the opposite effect of her intentions. Blue began to tinge Loki's skin and red bled into his eyes.

"You dodged it." His voice came out sounding strangled and Sutton's heart sank further. "Any more force and-" His eyes were shining red now, fully overtaken, and pale blue ridges formed on his face. "He  _intended_  to kill you."

Her hands left his fist and rose to his face. If his skin had been cool before it was ice now, but she kept her grip firm regardless.

"I'm alive," she insisted. "It was one guy with a lingering bias. We both knew there'd be people not happy about this, remember?"

The floor was suddenly no longer under her feet as Loki lifted her off the ground and continued on down the hall. He cradled her against his chest; Sutton tucked herself in, taking advantage that she could press her bruised flesh against the cold seeping through his tunic.

"I'll have him hanged, drawn and quartered." Loki's voice cut like the ice Sutton could see trailing behind him on the marble floor. "He should relish what time he has left in the realm of the living."

Sutton sat up at that, gripping his tunic as she desperately tried to make eye contact.

"Loki, don't-"

"There are laws," he said. "Not only has he tried to harm another's Marked, he tried to  _kill mine._  Treason of the highest order."

Flickering, smokey green tendrils of magic started to spit from his hands, and Sutton tried to change the course of the conversation.

"Where are we going?"

"The Healers," he said. "And once you're well and have proper protection, like I  _asked for in the beginning_ , I'm going to ensure this guard is taken care of."

"You don't even know which one he is." Sutton tried to deflect. Something lit behind Loki's red eyes that made her stomach roll in trepidation.

"I can find out."

There were more people in the halls as they walked. All of them gawked in shock at the sight of Loki, now completely blue, as he stalked down the halls. Servant girls dove for the walls, and many turned and fled back in the direction they'd come rather than pass him. The entire palace would know of his rage before they even made it to the Healers.

And she knew, maybe not now, but later, he would care that they all had seen him this way. It seemed his natural glamour had fallen in his irate state of mind, but she didn't want him to have to go through this on her account.

Trying to talk him out of his anger wasn't helping. Soothing touches were doing less. Sutton felt emotion bubbling up from her toes as she searched for something to do. It was a feeling she hadn't quite experienced before, like an intense longing meeting with a fondness so strong it threatened to overwhelm her.

She didn't fight the instinct as she reached up and drew his face down to hers and pressed her lips against his own.

Loki froze.

His lips were just as cold as the rest of him, but they were soft. She didn't know why she'd have thought any differently. He smelled like freshly fallen snow and tasted like ice. After a moment of stillness, of just having their lips pressing together, she pulled back slightly. Kissing still wasn't something she had a lot of experience with, and she wasn't quite sure how to go about it. Instead she placed a few more kisses at the corner of his lips and around his jaw. The ice touching her skin began to warm a little.

"Loki," she murmured. And this was probably the worst time to say this. The worst time to cross that line she hadn't dared to before, but after seeing him try so hard…. After seeing the way he'd respected her boundaries when he could have forced her to show him what he wanted to see, and witnessing the fierce protectiveness he had for her, she couldn't stop herself from being completely honest.

"I love you," she whispered against his skin.

When she opened her eyes, he was back to his pale skin tone and staring wildly down at her. She blinked in time with him as he seemed to catch his breath.

"What?"  
Sutton laughed lightly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you."

She had assumed he must have figured as much. After all, she'd followed him to this dimension, had agreed to come back to Asgard with him, and hadn't protested the assumed betrothal; but him hearing her admit it must have done something to him. She saw some of the rage seep from his eyes as his face exploded into a joyous smile.

He was quick to try and reinitiate her attempt at a kiss. This time he took the lead, and Sutton did her best to follow. When they broke apart, Sutton was breathless and Loki was panting. He held her closer, nuzzling against her forehead as he placed another kiss there.

"Oh." He chuckled. "You are cunning, aren't you?"  
She poked him lightly in the chest.

"I do mean it."

"I know." He hummed against her skin and continued his walk down the hall. Sutton tightened her hold around his neck as she shifted.

"I'm still going to kill him," he said. His voice was much more level, almost conversational, and Sutton groaned.

"Not because of me."

"No," Loki agreed. "Because of his own choices. As you are  _my_  Soulmate, and I am still yet a prince of Asgard, he has made an assassination attempt on one of the royal family. I'm sure, even on Midgard, those sorts of acts aren't easily forgiven."

"No," she begrudgingly agreed. "But people are finally starting to trust you again, I don't want to ruin that."

"If anything, this will have them up in arms in my favor," he said. "Killing a person's Soulmate is two murders in one blow."

"Then let him just rot in jail forever and be forced to watch how happy you are. Wouldn't that be worse for someone like him?"

Loki actually laughed. Sutton noted they'd entered through a wide open archway and were passing through a room into a more inner sanctum that housed a lone table, or bed, she wasn't sure which.

"My dear," Loki said, "your ideas of cruelty have always been endearingly innocent."

He sat her down on what she was assuming was a like a doctor's bench and called for a healer by name. Sutton crossed her hands over her chest and frowned.

"Are you saying I can't be mean?"

"Anyone can be mean," he said. "You're just incapable of true callousness. Even when you were genuinely attempting to chase me away."

"I thought I got pretty harsh."  
Loki lifted a skeptical brow.

"Oh yes. When you told me to stop sending you flowers, I truly wept."

She opened her mouth to protest, incredibly, she realized, about how mean she could really be when Loki pressed a silencing finger to her lips.

"Please, save your energy for more fruitful pursuits. We both know you liked me before you even met me; there's no use in arguing that. While the challenge you presented me with was entertaining, it was never born of anything more than stubbornness and pride."

A healer came in while Sutton sputtered and Loki moved back one pace to give the woman room.

"I cannot believe you just said that to me."

"You wanted honesty, darling."

"I can still call off this engagement."

The healer, unable to help but listen to their banter, choked back a cough. Loki's grin only grew wider.

"You really can't," he said. The healer motioned for her to turn her head so that she could inspect the bruise, and Sutton obliged while keeping her eyes cut at Loki.

"Because you won't let me now?" She goaded. There were no teeth to her threat, but Sutton couldn't help but fall back into the bantering dynamics they'd settled into while in her dimension. Loki's grin melted into a warm smile. He lifted her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles as the healer began her work on Sutton's bruised flesh and throbbing bone.

"No," he said, "because you love me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okie-dokie! *Grabs shovel* I'll just see myself home now!
> 
> *begins digging*


	29. MORE Garbage??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry. This has gotten ridiculous. Unacceptable. This time I blame Ink Outside The Lines. They know what they did.
> 
> Once again, these are just random snippets.  
> Please brace yourself for more unasked for Loki x Sutton soulmate au.

Despite what the guard who'd assaulted her had said, Sutton found that there weren't many Asgardians who knew the true story of Loki's folly. Some thought he had gone down to raze earth and accidentally found her in the midst of that. Some believed he'd made a messy and overt kidnapping attempt. Others speculated that they had some intense connection, allowing him to sense she'd been in danger which had made him go a bit mad.

The noble women seemed to favor that version.

The royal family was keeping the true story quiet, especially given the fact that Loki had been sentenced to an informal parole instead of any actual jail time. Frigga didn't seem to be complaining. And besides seriously threatening to murder a guard and a few pranks here and there, Loki had been on his best behavior.

Odin seemed especially shocked by the change and Loki got more amusement out of that than anything else.

Though for all those who mistrusted or disliked Loki, Sutton was quick to win them over and they tolerated him on her behalf. Her inquisitive nature amused many of them and they were always eager to teach when she asked questions about culture or laws.

 _Childlike_ some called her. Sutton tried to take that with a grain of salt. She didn't exactly see trying to learn how to live in a new world and culture  _childlike_ , but she also knew that she was hundreds, thousands, of years behind them in regards to life experience. A literal child in terms of numbers.

(Loki hated it when she called him a cradle robber, so she continued to do it when he particularly annoyed her.)

Their engagement was talk around the palace for a good year and a half. Apparently there were usually family negotiations and rituals that happened before the actual wedding; but given that Sutton had no present family they were able to speed things along. It was a bit of a whirlwind, a tad overwhelming. Sutton planned to ask them to push back the ceremony date just because adjusting to no family and a new universe  _and_  planning a wedding was a bit much.

She brought the topic up at tea with Frigga and Loki one morning when they'd been especially discussing ceremony details. She was just beginning her explanation for the wanted delay when Loki stormed silently from the room. Sutton stopped mid-sentence to watch him leave.

"Hey, where are you-What suddenly got into him?"  
Frigga took a delicate sip of her tea and tried to hide a grimace.

"Well, if I know my son at all," she said, "I'd guess he may have taken delaying the wedding the wrong way."

Sutton scowled.

"What? How- _Oh my gosh._  Does he think I don't want to marry him? I thought he was supposed to be the intellectual one!"  
Frigga smiled softly.

"He's still a man. No one said he was rational."

"I'm sorry. Please, excuse me."

Sutton stood from her chair and fled the garden terrace they'd been seated at in an attempt to track down her intended.

He was fast. His long legs certainly gave him an advantage. Sutton stopped and grumbled under her breath as she tried to think of where he'd have gone. His room was a bit too obvious. Perhaps the library, but that was a huge space in itself. Searching for him there would take forever.

She stood up straighter as she had a sudden revelation.

Sutton reached over her shoulder and raked her nails over the spot that held her Words. She waited a few seconds before huffing and repeating the action with more force.

From a distance, she heard a muffled, " _ouch! Woman!"_

She tapped her foot. Loki finally rounded the corner of the hall, rubbing at his collarbone, with his face wrinkled in ire as he marched towards her.

"What's the meaning of this," he asked. Sutton crossed her arms over her chest and glared.

"You just walked out on tea with your mom. That's extremely rude."

Loki rolled his eyes, but still refused to make direct eye contact with her.

"Yes, well, of all the things I've done, this is hardly the most offensive."  
"No, you're right. You've done something far worse."

He shifted uncomfortably and glared at some point in the distance.

"Ah, here it is. I'll never be able to be redeemed for my deeds on  _precious Midgard,_  will I? That pitiful planet-"  
"No," Sutton interrupted. "The really offensive thing you did was think so poorly of me."  
His words came to a stumbling stop and he finally looked down at her. Sutton cocked her head to the side as she pinned him with an unimpressed look.

"I flat out told you I love you, and the  _second_  I mention pushing the wedding date back you flip out. You assume the worst of me. Did it  _ever_ occur to you that I may have reasons to push it back besides finally figuring out what an impossible person you are? Because, believe me, I knew that before this all even started."

That clearly baffled him. She could see the wheels in his head desperately churning as he mentally prepared to backpedal.

"We're Soulmates," he finally said. There was an unsure lilt to his voice. "What reason could you-"

Sutton rolled her eyes and waved her hands in a frazzled gesture.

"Oh, I don't know. How about the fact that I didn't even grow up believing in Soulmates. I just found out about all of this relatively recently and I'm still wrapping my head around it some days. Or maybe the fact that I- I actually said goodbye to my  _family_ just to be with you? And now I'm sort of adjusting to not only living in an entirely different universe, but being a member of a royal family and all that that entails. And on top of all that there's wedding plans! So excuse me for being a little bit anxious."

Loki shut his eyes as she spoke and rubbed sheepishly between his eyes.

"I just-"

"Yeah. I know what you  _just thought._ "

He took a step closer to her and grabbed her hand in his.

"I'm an idiot," he said. "Forgive me. I'm still- sometimes I still get caught up in myself. I should have considered your situation."

"Yes, you should have."

He pulled her closer and Sutton let out an ' _oof'_ as she fell into him.

"Please forgive me? You can take all the time you need. You can push the wedding back even farther if you aren't ready."

"Ok, now you're just sucking up."

"Absolutely."

**[][][][][]**

Being summoned to a family meeting was intimidating in the closest households. Being summoned to a meeting for a family you weren't technically part of yet, and whose members consisted of practically immortal royals was infinitely moreso.

Sutton took a moment to steady herself and smooth out any wrinkles that might've accumulated in her gown on the walk over. She thanked the handmaiden who'd led her to the parlor where the others had already gathered and mentally readied herself.

Usually Loki would go out of his way to be the one to walk her anywhere, but this time he hadn't. She wasn't sure what to make of that.

The doors opened announcing her presence and Sutton walked through. Her eyes flickered over the room, noting that all four members of the family were there.

"Um, hello."

Loki quickly crossed the room to greet her, but Sutton eyed Odin and Frigga. Odin was wearing a sort of tempered, severe expression. His mouth was pulled a bit tight, but he didn't look quite as uneasy around her as he had the first time she'd met him. Perhaps Frigga had chewed his ear off for his disdainful ' _a human?'_ comment upon seeing her. But Frigga looked rather hopeful about whatever the situation was.

"So, what's this about?"

She was ushered into a plush seat as the others sat down around her. Sutton tried to mentally tally up all of her potential vices in the short silence.

_Coffee before bed, too many Asgardian sweets, rearranging Loki's bookshelf when he wasn't looking._

Oh dear. Had they found out about the chipped statue in the courtyard? She'd only picked up a sword  _once_  and no one had been in the vicinity when it'd happened that she'd noticed.

But surely that didn't require an intervention.

"There's nothing wrong, dear."

Sutton turned at Frigga's voice and realized she was wringing her hands. She stopped and pressed them into her lap. Loki sat next to her and slid an arm around her waist.

"This is merely a formality," he explained.

"You are about to be offered a gift," Odin cut in. "So be prepared to consider it with utmost care."

Sutton fidgeted and curled her toes in her shoes. Loki shot a glare at his father. In turn Thor cast a look at Loki which clearly told him to keep his cool.

"I'm sure you've already realized that there is a vast difference in lifespans between our peoples." Frigga smiled in a motherly way; Sutton focused on her.

"Yes," she agreed. "I'll admit I've wondered about it a couple times."

Loki waved a hand in front of her and a shimmering golden apple floated at her eye level.

"The Apple of Idunn would solve that little problem."

Sutton arched a brow and studied the flickering image further. It sounded a bit familiar, although the only related imagery she could currently conjure up included a snake and a lush garden.

"The Apple of Idunn grants long life to any mortal who eats of it," said Thor. "You would live as long as we do."

Sutton blinked.

"Oh."  
While it was true that concern over their differing lifespans had crossed her mind, she hadn't had the time to give it any deep thought. This answer seemed so… so easy.

"At the end of the ceremony," said Odin, "Loki will cut a slice of the apple for you to eat before witnesses. You can finish the rest, of course, before entering the feast."

Sutton pressed her hands further into her lap.

"Wow, um. I mean, that's-that's amazing. I'm honored." She licked her bottom lip and cast her eyes down. "Can I have a couple days to think this over, before I give you my answer?"  
An odd sort of silence enveloped the room, as if she'd just turned down lottery winnings after complaining about being poor. Frigga moved first.

"Of course. It is a big decision."

Sutton thanked them and then excused herself from the room. Out in the hall she immediately began wringing her hands again. Footsteps sounded behind her, but she didn't slow her pace.

"Sutton. Sutton!"

Loki grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. There was tension in his touch and a spark of fear in his eyes as he looked down at her.

"What could you possibly have to think about," he asked. "We're Soulmates. You said you wanted to marry me. I don't- I don't understand."

Sutton sighed and grabbed onto his hand to pull him along after her as she walked. There'd be no shucking him off in this state, and she supposed she'd be just as baffled and worried herself if she were in his position.

She led him down the glistening hall until she spied a balcony providing some privacy with large potted plants and the way it stretched out against the side of the palace.

Loki remained silent but simmering as she gathered her thoughts and tried to figure out how to string them together in a way that wouldn't cut.

"I do want to marry you," she said first. Loki's jaw ticked as his gaze shifted.

"Just not for very long."

Sutton rolled her eyes.

"That's not it. Living for thousands of years is what humans fantasize about. We're always trying to find ways to squeeze in more time."

"So, you-" Loki's gaze studied her intently. She could tell he was desperately trying to figure out what feat of logic she was, or wasn't, using. "Are you planning to accept," he finally asked. Sutton waved her hands in a helpless gesture.

"Oh, inevitably. How-how could I not? Why even bother following you here if I didn't?"

Loki groaned and rubbed at his head. Sutton leaned against the balcony banister and knew that she was blatantly avoiding answering his real question.

"I'm lost. Is this some sort of Midgardian etiquette I'm unaware of?" She sighed.

"Look, I just," she paused. Licked her lips. "I know what I'm going to do, and I know I won't regret it, but I just need to- need to accept it first. It almost feels like, like I'm giving up a part of myself."

His expression flashed some unfathomable confusion and he stepped forward. One hand reached out and tugged her closer.

"How could you ever come to that conclusion? If anything, you are receiving the opportunity to become more of yourself than any mortal ever has."

"You're going to take it the wrong way," she said.

"You certainly haven't done a wondrous job of building up to the main point."

Sutton shot him a glare, but there was no real fire in it.

"Look, I just, I said goodbye to my family. My  _own_ family. I gave up my home, my own world. I wear your people's clothes, eat your food. I act the way I'm supposed to in public and I'm trying to learn all these different customs and rules. It's a lot and I feel like, not like I'm being erased, but like-like I'm ignoring who I am. To a certain extent."

Loki took a step back and she tightened her hold on his hand.

"See," she said. "This is exactly why I didn't say anything. I'm not  _unhappy_ , Loki. It's nothing to do with you."

He shook his head again, not quite looking at her for a moment as he processed her confession. Sutton let out a quiet groan and tried to ease his expression by brushing her fingertips over his knuckles.

"Do you think me so fragile," he finally asked. Sutton froze. "You must work so hard to spare me that you cannot be candid about your true feelings?"

"That's not-no. I mean, I don't think you're  _fragile_."

"Untrustworthy, then."

"Not for a long time and you know that."

His eyes settled on her and became firm. Sutton fidgeted.

"I can think of no other reason for you not to be honest with me. Especially when there are available solutions to your worries."

Sutton closed her eyes and let her forehead fall against his chest as the words sank in.

 _Ugh._ He was impossible. He was... right.

She'd grown up internalizing so much, not wanting to worry her mother, her grandparents, any more than they already were. And now she was doing to it him. They were supposed to be a team. She  _wanted_ them to be a team.

"I'm sorry." She murmured against him. "You're...right." The words were only mildly bitter. It helped that Loki didn't look entirely too smug when she lifted her head up to look at him. "I guess we're both still learning, huh?"  
"Indeed," he said. "If there's one bit of wisdom I've managed to grasp, it's that you're only in true trouble when you stop."

Sutton wrinkled her nose impishly.

"Oh, that's right. You've been around awhile. Cradle robber."

Loki hissed.

"That's a blatantly erroneous term and you are well aware how must I detest-"  
She burst out in cackles at his righteously indignant face. Loki huffed and tugged on her again. Sutton let out a squeak as she fell completely into his hold. A smirk crawled up his face as he leaned in close.

"I believe you were apologizing. Don't ruin it."

Her eyes fluttered as he leaned in even closer and his gaze flickered to her lips. Sutton held her breath, waiting.

And then he pecked her on the nose and hefted her up.

"Hey!"

"Alright, let's see what we can do about your list of lamentations."

She was squished against his chest as he toted her and all she could see was the fibers of his evergreen tunic. Somehow she managed to wiggle out of his hold until she was merely tucked snug against him.

"So what shall it be," Loki questioned. "Some sort of Midgardian delicacy? A pair of breeches? Or, what is it you call them; jeans? How many pairs do you need to feel better?"

Sutton scowled and looked away as she grumbled.

"Actually, I really like the dresses."

**[][][][][]**

Sutton idled in the doorway to their room. Her stomach twisted painfully. The room was near silent save for a quiet breeze and the soft sounds of pages turning. Loki was reclining on their bed, reading a book, and he looked so peaceful that she was loathe to disturb him. She dug her fingernails into her palm and deliberated her options. But as she often found, Loki seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to her. He looked up suddenly and caught her stalling the inevitable.

"Hello, love." He put down his book and smiled at her. Sutton tried to return it with equal sincerity, but something about it must have been off. Loki frowned and sat up straighter.

"What is it?"

Sutton sighed and forced herself to walk further into the room. It felt like a mile long trek from the doorway to the bed. Each footstep on the wooden floor echoed too loudly. When she finally arrived, she slowly lowered herself onto the mattress and fiddled with her fingers. Loki scooted closer, reaching out to take her hand and rub at her knuckles while being careful to avoid pressing on the ring on her left hand.

"You're starting to worry me."

"Sorry, I just-" She took a deep breath and squeezed his hands tightly, looking away towards the far wall. "Loki, I'm… pregnant."

Loki stilled, the hesitation in his movements a clear giveaway to his surprise. Sutton looked to him and pressed her lips together. His face twisted as he wet his lips.

"How long?"  
At the tightness in his voice Sutton closed her eyes.

"A month and a half, I think."

He moved closer, pulling her to him, and cradled her in his lap. Sutton wrapped her arms around his torso and clung to him.

They sat in silence as they held each other. Sutton bit into her bottom lip as she pressed her forehead against his chest. Loki ran his hand through her hair again and again. After a moment, she could feel him swallow and clear his throat.

"We can be better prepared this time," he said. "Now that we know what to expect."

"Can we?" Her voice cracked, brittle and wary. "Last time-"  
"Last time we reacted too late. I should have known with our different biologies-"

Sutton shook her head.

"We've already talked about this. It wasn't anyone's fault."

She reached up and rubbed at his shoulder as she wedged herself even closer, if it were possible. Loki kissed the top of her head and rested his chin on the spot.

"First thing tomorrow we'll go to the Healers," he said. "And I've already been doing some reading. If I have to create my own spells, I'll do it."

Sutton nodded against his chest and tried to take comfort in his confidence. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to keep this one.

**[][][][][][]**

"Sister! How do you fare?"  
Sutton looked up from her giant mug of hot tea and shivered as Thor approached. She pulled the bundle of blankets more tightly around herself and squinted to try and see passed the sun's bright rays.

"I'm ok, Thor," she said. "Really. You don't have to check on me every ten minutes."

Thor sat next to her and wiped some sweat from his brow as he stretched. He sent a smarmy smile in her direction and laughed.

"Ten minutes? Surely this time I waited fifteen!"

Sutton chuckled into her tea and shivered again.

"Are you even getting any good training in while doing this? I'm pretty sure Loki would understand."

Thor looked uncertain with that idea.

"It is my duty to protect you in his stead. If anything were to happen to you in his absence, well... Perhaps I am merely checking in on your for my own benefit."

"Then luckily for you he comes back tomorrow. Besides, I think you beat him in every fight anyway."

Thor preened a bit, though he tried to hide it.

"He still hurts when he hits."

A violent shiver suddenly racked Sutton's frame, and she hissed as ice crept up her limbs. Thor jumped up to his feet.

"Sutton, are you alright?"  
She shook, but managed to take another large swallow of her tea.

"I'm ok! I'm fine. Just a little chilly."

Thor's eyes tightened at the corners and his playful demeanor fully fell away. Sutton sighed.  
"Really, I'm doing fine. My lips aren't blue, right?"  
Thor shifted the blanket slightly to the side in order to check.

"No," he admitted. Sutton flashed him a reassuring smile.

"See? All good. I feel much better than… I'm ok."

He rubbed the back of his neck and still eyed her fretfully. Sutton knew that he was remembering the last time. But she honestly wasn't feeling that terrible, as miserable as she might've currently been. And that was saying something. She had to be healthier than the last time if Loki had been willing to travel, even if it had been reluctantly.

"If you feel ill you shouldn't hesitate to go to the Healers," Thor said. "Loki-"

"I know." She interrupted. "And I will. But I'm honestly keeping an eye on it, I swear. Believe me. I don't- the last thing I want is for that to happen again."

Thor smiled thinly. He held out a hand and Sutton shifted her mug in her grip to accept it.

"Even still, it would probably be best to get you back indoors. You may be cold, but this sun is not."

"Is that your way of saying I'm getting a sunburn?"

Some of the tension in her shoulders eased as his smile turned more genuine.

"I would never dare comment on a lady's complexion."

**[][][][][]**

" _Just wait until your father gets home,"_ was not a phrase Sutton had heard growing up. Being raised by a single mother, it just wasn't applicable. Even after her mother had married, and she'd gotten a little brother, Tyrese was generally so well behaved the phrase hadn't been necessary. Her mother could just sigh in disappointment and the boy would be near tears.

And yet Sutton had somehow learned it, and even knew how to use the phrase correctly.

She cast a severe look down and crossed her arms as she heard footsteps from down the hall.

"There he is," she said. "We're going to have that talk now."  
"No!"

The tiny cry reached a pitch that was almost ear-ringing and Sutton winced. Loki entered the room digging a knuckle into his ear and wincing.

"One of those days, is it?"  
"Eira, do you want to explain what you did, or should I?"

Their daughter was a pitiful sight to behold as she only wailed louder. Tears were already starting to pool in her eyes turning them a brighter, shimmering green.

"No! I didn't  _do_  anything!"

She let herself drop onto the floor and sat with short legs kicked out as she dramatically put her hands on her forehead.

Sutton watched the display with a bored expression before turning back to Loki.

"I told her she couldn't have any more sweet cakes for the day and she got so mad that

she threatened to use her magic on me."  
"I didn't  _do anything!"_

Loki's expression shifted from slightly amused to firm. He crouched down to be eye level with Eira and held her gaze.

"Did you threaten your mother, Eira?"

She whimpered and her lower lip trembled dramatically.

"No!" Loki pulled out what Sutton had dubbed his "try-me-again" dad face, and Eira wailed yet again. "I didn't mean to."

"You know better than that," he said. "What did I say about using magic on others?"

Eira sniffed.

"Don't," she mumbled. Sutton bit her lip and looked away. As much as she hated it when they had to get stern with her, the dramatics that their daughter managed to pull were often too much. She truly was her father's child.

"And what did we tell you would happen if you did?"

She dropped her head back on her little neck, making her wild hair fall back and exposing some of the raised ridges along her shoulders and forehead. Evidence of her Jotun heritage.

"I-I-I'd be in t-trouble."

"It makes me very sad that you did it anyway."

"I'm sorry!"

Loki stood and came around to stand alongside Sutton, putting a hand around her waist.

"You need to say sorry to your mother."  
Eira sniffled and wiped away messy tears as she stood and trudged over. She threw herself against Sutton and wrapped her tiny arms around Sutton's legs.

"I'm sorry, mommy."

Sutton ran her fingers through her daughter's nearly black curls.

"I forgive you. But you still aren't allowed to have any sweets for the rest of the week."

Eira gasped and looked up in outrage, but shut her mouth when Loki just raised a brow in challenge. She buried her face in Sutton's dress, most likely rubbing snot all over the fabric.

"Are you ever going to do this again," Loki asked. Eira shook her head 'no'. "If you do, you'll be in more trouble. It's not nice to threaten people. Especially when you have magic and they don't."

Sutton hummed at the irony of his statement and pressed her lips together as she suppressed a smirk. She cut her eyes over in private humor and Loki rolled his eyes.

"Oh, let it go."

Eira gasped again, this time in delight.

"Elsa," she chirped. "I want to watch Elsa! I want to watch my movie!"

She threw out a hand and a few ice chips sprung from her fingertips and floated down to the floor. She giggled at her own ability and tugged on Sutton's dress.

"Please, please, please! Uncle Tony let me!"

Sutton and Loki both groaned in unison as the begging commenced.

"Tony is finished the next time we visit," she said. "He did this maliciously."  
"Unforgivable." Loki agreed.

Eira spun in a circle, her curls flying around her as she dusted the air with more ice chips.

"Don't let them in… don't let them see!"

Sutton dragged her hands over the back of her neck to ease the tension.

"Odin help us. She thinks the movie is about her."

"I know," said Loki.

"We don't have a DVD player."

"I know."

Eira stopped spinning and pinned them with an expectant stare.

"Please, mommy? Please, daddy? I'll be good, I promise!"

Sutton sighed and looked to Loki as he frowned.

"No. Absolutely not. I am not travelling down to Midgard  _just_  for some paltry electronic devices."

Eira ran over to Sutton and Sutton hefted her up on her hip. They both pegged Loki with over exaggerated pouts.

"No."

Sutton smooshed her daughter's face against her own so that their cheeks puffed out dramatically.

"Look at her." Eira giggled and smashed her hands against Sutton's cheeks in return.

"Look!"

Loki closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Blasted women."


	30. Right Time, Wrong Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thanks Ink Outside the Lines for sliding over a plot bunny that I couldn't ignore. This oneshot actually got a bit long bc I really wanted to add a few bits and had to, you know, build up to them.
> 
> This is a noncanon interaction that supposed to have happened during Universal Displacement. :)

Sutton felt extremely self conscious as she hurried down dirty city streets. Black, antique cars lined the road and brick buildings blocked her in on both sides. The women walking around were all smartly dressed. Skirts or dresses were the norm. Coiffed hair that was neatly pinned and heels were worn by all. The men wore slacks with button up shirts and a jacket. Hats were much more abundant than she'd noticed before.

Sutton was wearing tweed pants and a too large wrap shirt in an eye-popping forest green. Her hair. She didn't even want to think of what her hair looked like at this point. Despite the pointed looks and aghast glances, she was at least comforted by the fact that it seemed there were much more women out on the street than men.

Whatever earth she was on now, she guessed it was somewhere in the 1930s or 1940s.

She paused at a newspaper stand to glance at the headline. To figure out just where and when she was.

It was a New York paper. Brooklyn, more specifically, if  _The Brooklyn Daily Eagle_  printed on top was to be trusted. It was also the 12th of May, 1943.

Sutton huffed and moved away from the stand before the seller could yell at her.

Wonderful.

She'd just popped into some earth right in the throes of World War II.

Just how many fandoms included WWII? Sutton froze, her leather boots catching on the sidewalk.

Was this a fandom?

What if she had found her way back home? Just...just in a terribly wrong time? Timelines had never lined up well, who was to say she couldn't accidentally go backwards?

"Please no," she murmured under her breath. "Please don't let me be on my earth."

Instead of panicking she pushed herself to continue on. She'd done this before. Started out with nothing and somehow managed. Survived. But there'd been some measure of luck to it all before. The fact that she was in other worlds with, essentially, main characters to run into probably played a big part. If she were back on plain old earth, she'd have nothing. She knew no one. Not even past family to integrate in with that she remembered learning about. At least definitely not in Brooklyn.

The most logical thing that she could probably do would be to head to a police station and ask about local shelters. Brooklyn had some sort of reputation, she remembered that, and she didn't want to be caught outside at night whatever it was.

A couple of guys on a street corner whistled at her and Sutton picked up her pace without looking back.

With other women in skirts walking around, she didn't think she was on the worst side of town, but she honestly didn't know. She'd have to ask for directions eventually. She had no idea if she was even heading in the direction of a police station.

It was America, but everything felt so foreign.

She hopped over a puddle and eased into a mild jog.

Buildings grew a bit seedier, more run down, the further she ran, and Sutton slowed her pace. Finally stopped. Perhaps it would be a better idea for her to turn back. At least the buildings where she'd started looked better kept.

She turned around and was heading back when she heard some scuffling and grunting. There was a  _bang_ and a  _crash_  and Sutton paused at the end of a building, knowing something was going down around the corner. She dug her fingernails into her palm and bit her lip as she deliberated. She pursed her lips and expelled some air, then darted around the building as silently as she could. Her leather boots made it easy.

A large guy in a canvas coat and newsboy hat threw a punch. Sutton just saw the twiggy figure of some young kid go flying down the alley way, scrambling to stand before the guy could descend on him again. Her heart raced.

"You should think before ya give lip," the bigger guy said. Sutton could barely see the kid raise his fists from behind the other guy. Her eyes darted around the back alley until they landed on a group of tin trash cans.

She wasn't supposed to be here, wherever she was. She shouldn't intervene.

But when had that ever stopped her before?

Sutton snatched up one of the trash can lids and rushed forward. The bigger guy was raising his fist again and she shouted.

"Hey!"  
He turned to look and Sutton swung for all she was worth. The metal caught him completely on the side of the face and he stumbled to the side from the blow. Sutton hit him again as he fell.

Reaching out blindly, she grabbed the kid's thin arm and tugged him forward.

"Come on," she said. "Before he gets up!"

The kid stumbled behind her as she dragged him down the street and around a few corners before she stopped, panting, in a different alleyway. She let go of his arm and peered back down the street, but didn't see anyone running after them. Sutton turned back with a smile.

"I think we lost-"

It wasn't a kid. It was a grown man, just the same height that she was. A skinny, blond, cut up young man who was glaring at her. Sutton stopped breathing.

Steve Rogers.

"I had it under control," he said sharply. He smoothed back his hair and straightened his jacket and Sutton gaped.

"Oh no," she mumbled. Steve's gaze darted over her form, not gawking but evaluating, and he straightened his stance as best he could.

"I did. No need for a dame like yourself to get involved in a scrape."

He wiped some blood off his lip and Sutton backed away as her hand flew up to press against her forehead. This-this was worse than she imagined. How? How had she managed to jump back into the Marvel universe, but at such an incredibly wrong time.

"Sorry," she said absentmindedly. She took another step back and Steve's frustrated face melted into one of confusion.

What-what was she going to do? It had been her entire goal to get back here. But it was so wrong. Like when you're attempting to solve a rubix cube and you match all the colors up except that  _one_  in the bottom corner. And you know if you try to keep going you'll make it all messed up and never get it right.

If she left again, she'd never jump back here on her own.

"Hey, you ok?"

Sutton's eyes shifted to meet his and it was weird. She didn't have to look up at him. He looked more tense than in the future. More high strung. Angry, almost, as if he had to fight to exist every second. Sutton swallowed.

"I'm fine," she said. "I-uh, I should-should go."

To mess up Steve Roger's past, or future, or whatever, would be unforgivable. And, and he had to go through everything coming. It made him who he was. It didn't mean she wanted a front row seat to it.

He looked at her with absolutely no recognition in his eyes and it affected her more than she thought it should.

"Wait."

Steve caught her arm and she turned to watch as he shuffled awkwardly.

"Sorry," he said. "You did a good thing. Thank you." Sutton gave him a strained smile.

"Yeah, no problem."

 _Oh crap._  Would he recognize her now? When they showed up in front of her car in her world? Would he be all, " _what is that weird girl who interrupted my fight in Brooklyn doing here in the present? And in an alternate universe? How odd?"_

But he hadn't said anything.

Time travel was weird. Sutton didn't like it.

"Well, good luck in your next fight," she said with a clipped wave. Steve's face twisted in further confusion as she attempted to leave, and she silently chided herself on her choice of words.

_Good luck? Really?_

There was almost a physical pain to leaving Steve behind as if she didn't know him. Because he was a friend and it felt wrong. And in her present day he was a sort of stable beacon for her. Present day Steve at least tolerated her. She'd managed to start off on the wrong foot with this Steve. Saving him from a beating, no less.

It was getting late as Sutton started to trot back down the sidewalk. She crossed her arms and made herself small as she tried to remember which direction she'd come from.

"Dang it." She hissed under her breath. "Now how am I supposed to-"

"Wait!"

She twisted to look over her shoulder to see Steve rushing after her. She stopped and waited, feeling uneasy about...well about just everything.

"Dames shouldn't walk these streets alone. And, well, pardon me, but you're sure to draw attention."

Sutton instinctively looked down at her own clothes.

"Right," she said. "Well, I'd hate to be an inconvenience. I'm fine."

Steve furrowed his brow.

"It's the least I can do."

He was going to push the gentleman thing. He was going to make her say it. Once he got that look on his face, there was little one could do to make him change his mind. He was so stubborn. Sutton closed her eyes and let out a breath.

"Actually, I'm trying to, uh, find a-" She rubbed at her face and looked away. "Trying to find a women's shelter or something? Where they don't charge. Do you… know where one is?'

Steve was quiet.

"Women's shelter?"  
Sutton waved her hands as she spoke.

"Or a... homeless shelter, or whatever. I'm, uh, not too picky at this point. It's just I, uh, got, you know, whistled at already today. And, you know, I'd rather not risk it in the dark."

His gaze darted over her again as if he were reassessing her with the new information. Sutton knew she was a sight, but she didn't want him to think that.

"I… don't think we have anything like that around here," Steve said slowly. Sutton's face fell.

"Oh."

She rubbed at her arm and glanced warily down the street. Perhaps she could sleep near a police station? Would that be safer? Her eyes darted over Steve briefly and she flashed him a show of teeth.

"Well, thanks for the heads up." Sutton turned to leave and Steve spoke up again.

"You can't just stay out here alone. It isn't safe."

Sutton already felt thoroughly humbled with having to admit she was looking for a free shelter. To admit she had no one, no friends, to support her felt a bit redundant. Instead she shrugged and smiled thinly.

"I'll figure something out," she said. Steve's brow furrowed again. She could see him thinking, knew him well enough now that she knew that he was considering making an offer but felt uncomfortable about it. She attempted to cut him off and run, but he beat her to it before she could work up the nerve.

"I know it ain't proper, and you don't know me, but if you want, I could give you a place to sleep for the night. It's not fancy, but it's safer than being out alone." She grimaced and Steve interpreted the expression wrong.

"I swear I'm not a creep. And besides, dames, ah, usually ain't too intimidated by me."

Sutton couldn't help the flicker of a smile that attempted curl up her face. He wasn't used to talking to girls, that was obvious. She let out a breathy laugh and looked at him.

"Are you kidding? You're twice as intimidating. A guy willing to fight another man twice his size and still be humble enough to apologize to a stranger is someone to be reckoned with."

Steve flushed red and Sutton gnawed on her lower lip as she considered his offer.

She  _knew_  Steve. The safest place she could be was in his company. She'd be able to sleep without worrying that he'd try anything in the middle of the night. But she also knew herself. Sometimes she forgot herself, her situation. She didn't want to interfere with whatever he was supposed to be doing during this time.

But it was cold. And getting dark. And the thought of declining his offer and walking off down an unfamiliar street shot a pang of icy pain through her feet.

"Maybe...maybe just one night," she said. "But I'd take the couch, or floor, or whatever."

Steve shook his head.

"I couldn't do that." Sutton rolled her eyes.

"I've slept on worse."

He frowned again at that, but didn't ask.

"Name 's Steve, by the way." He held out his hand and she shook it, thrown back by how small his fingers were. How cold his hand was.

"I'm...Sutton."

For a moment, she'd debated lying, but ultimately didn't see the point. Odds were, she'd forget what name she gave him or not respond at all. And if he remembered her in the future, he'd just learn she was lying anyway. Gesturing with his head he turned in the opposite direction she'd been heading and pressed his lips together briefly.

"My place is this way, then."

Sutton followed him, feeling like she was doing something forbidden. Like she was spying on him, somehow. Seeing things that weren't her business to see. It felt like  _not_ telling him that she knew him already was a violation of privacy. But at the moment it couldn't be helped. He most likely wouldn't believe her regardless.

Steve's apartment wasn't on that nice side of town where she'd originally found herself. They slipped into what looked like a factory district, with rising smoke and dirty streets. Sutton kept close to Steve despite the fact that they were currently the same height and she probably weighed more than he did. It was just reflex.

Eventually they made their way up a staircase and Steve dug in his pocket for a key.

"This is me," he said, even though they were plainly standing in front of a door.

His apartment was small, dark, and minimal; clearly a bachelor pad. A few crates served as storage and seating, a ratty sofa sat against a bare wall, and there weren't many knickknacks laying around to glean anything from. Sutton's heart constricted.

"Cozy," she said.

"It keeps the rain off."

He closed and locked the door behind them and Sutton moved further into the small space without paying mind to it. There were actually a couple of photographs out. A picture of a couple that looked like his parents and one that looked like him and maybe Bucky when they were young.

"There's a shower, if you want to use it," Steve spoke up. "There's a, uh, brush on the sink." Sutton pushed some tangled curls back and nodded.

"Thank you. I- Would you, um, have something I could change into? Maybe?"

Steve's eyes widened briefly as if that idea hadn't even occurred to him, and he shuffled back and forth before moving down a short hall.

"Right. Of course."

He brought back a vintage button up shirt and matching pants pajama set. Or, at least it was vintage to Sutton. It had thin blue pinstripes and was made from a cotton. Sutton rubbed the fabric between her fingers and couldn't stop her face from heating up as she hesitated in the doorway to the bathroom.

"They're clean," said Steve. She wasn't about to tell him she was more flustered by the fact that she was about to put on  _Steve Rogers'_ pajamas.

"Thank you," she said again. "Promise I won't use up all the hot water."

"You think there's hot water?"  
Sutton blinked but quickly caught the wry twist of his lips. Her shoulders loosened a bit and she laughed.

"Well, one more cold shower won't kill me."

[]

It was a lukewarm shower, but she was clean and she was thrilled with just that. There was no hair dryer, so she twisted her hair up in a bun on top of her head and tried to tuck in the ends. The pajamas actually fit. She didn't know what to think about that.

Sutton crept out of the bathroom, feeling self conscious once more, and shivered against the cool draft that drifted through the apartment. There were noises coming from the kitchen and she shuffled in that direction. She could smell fish and something sort of starchy.

Steve stood at his small stove and was frying up fillets and what looked like lima beans. Sutton made a face at the food. She knew she should be grateful to eat at all, but it looked to be a serious downgrade. History hadn't been her top subject in school, though she knew the sweeping basics. Just, she didn't remember them going over food. It looked so-

Steve shifted and she smoothed her face out, opting for a curious head-tilt. He turned to look over his shoulder and quickly looked away from her again. Sutton ran her hands over the pajama top to make sure she was still decent.

She was.

"Hope you like fish," he said. "There isn't a lot to pick from at the moment."

Sutton eased over to one of the rickety chairs at a small table and sat.

"Oh, right," she said. "The rationing thing. No, fish is fine. Smells….good."

Steve gave her a mildly perplexed look and finished the fish, fixing their plates and setting one in front of her along with a glass of water. Sutton hoped the water was clean.

She thanked him and they both sat quietly to eat, nibbling at their food in silence. Sutton attempted to pick bones out of her teeth with as much grace as she could. There was a faint butter flavor to the beans, but she still tried to not breathe as she ate them. What she wouldn't give for a few spices.

"So, where are you from?"  
She looked up from scraping the leftover bones in the trash and stammered.

"Huh?"  
"You're obviously not from Brooklyn."

"Oh, right. No accent, huh? Well, I'm from the West coast originally. Washington state."

Steve took her plate from her and began washing them.

"Originally?"

Sutton hesitated, unsure how much it was safe to share.

"I've been moving around a lot lately. Hoping that won't be the case for too much longer."

"You don't have family to go back to?"

"Not- no," she said quietly. "Not now."

She thought of her mom, step-dad, and Tyrese; lost forever. Of the team, so close now and yet so far away, and hoped they weren't lost now too.

"I think I have clean sheets," Steve said as she sniffed. Sutton rubbed a knuckle over her cheekbone and blinked, looking overly interested in what he was saying.

"I'm really fine with the couch."

"Naw," Steve insisted. "Besides, the room has a door, and I'm sure you'll feel more comfortable with that."

He set up the bed and awkwardly wished her goodnight as she eased the door closed. Sutton thanked him again, the knowledge that she would've been on the street without him still making her feel queasy.

Despite feeling safe around Steve, she wasn't able to fall asleep right away. Questions about what she'd do in the morning, how she'd survive the nights after this until she left, ringing in her head. How was she going to eat in a country that was already carefully rationing for the people who were actually supposed to be here? A country that was still climbing out of the devastating crater that had been the Great Depression?

Yes, she'd already done this a couple times. Yes she'd barely made it work so far. But this was different. This had been the world she was trying to get back to. This was a world she really couldn't mess up and she knew Steve too intimately. Personal stories and tics and mannerisms. Which wasn't because she watched him so closely, obviously, they just managed to hang out once in awhile. She remembered things sometimes.

Sutton forced herself to take a deep breath, hold it, and then let it slowly out. Nothing would come of her worrying. Tomorrow would still come and the problems would still be there.

 _No use in fretting about it now._  Not while she had a bed for once. And a desperate need for some quality shuteye.

[]

There was a  _bang_  and Sutton shot up straight out of sleep, her hand reaching for a knife that wasn't there. There was a surprised yell from another room, and she jumped from the bed, stumbling over her own feet, and burst through the door. She stood in the hall, hand poised as if she actually was holding a dagger, and she panted as her eyes darted around. Searched for the threat.

" _-breakfast…."_

A dark haired man in suspenders was staring at her with wide eyes and Sutton blinked. Squinted.

"Bucky?" she whispered under her breath. Looking around, she noted the apartment; remembered where she was. Sutton lowered her arm and let out a breath. Her hair had fallen from its knot and now was wild in messy curls hanging around her face. She pushed her hair back and stood up straighter. Bucky,  _Bucky Barnes_ , shifted his gaze back over to a frazzled Steve and whistled.

"Woah-ho,  _Stevie_ ," he said. Steve growled.

"It ain't like that. She needed a place to stay for the night."

Sutton moved down the hall to join them in the living room and rubbed at her temples.

"You scared the crap out of me," she complained. "Do you usually throw open doors this early in the morning? Or is today just special?"

Bucky's face flickered in astonished amusement and a smile edged up his face.

"Only when I bring this punk some grub," he said.

"I told you, I'm  _fine._ " Steve's tone was irritated and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't be so proud, Steve. You never turn down free food." Sutton turned, twisting her hair back up on top of her head, and spied a few pencils on one of the crates next to a worn looking notebook. She borrowed one of the pencils to stab through the knot of hair and keep it in place.

"Alright," she said, rolling up the pajama sleeves. "What did you bring. Please tell me there's some coffee." Bucky blinked.

"I managed some sausage and eggs," he said. "There's a little coffee in there too, doll."

Sutton sighed in relief.

"Awesome. I can actually make a decent omelette, or scrambled eggs, if you don't mind. It's about all I can offer to pay you back," she said to Steve. Steve just nodded dumbly and Bucky handed over the paper bag of goods he'd brought. Sutton accepted them with a nod and set to work in the kitchen.

"You just met her last night," asked Bucky from the other room.

"She found me. Pulled me away from,  _ah_ , a disagreement." Bucky groaned.

"I don't check on you  _one night_."  
"I don't need supervision, Buck."

"Well you aren't exactly convincing."

Sutton bit her lip as she cracked the eggs in a bowl and found a heavy, cast iron pan for the sausage. She did want to thank Steve, somehow, but she wouldn't ever admit one of her main motivations was to get herself out of the room and make sure she didn't say something stupid.

And that fish had been undercooked. She didn't want Steve to get ahold of the sausage.

There was a bit of salt in one of the cupboards and not much else. Sutton grimaced again. Whether this was due to the rationing or Steve's own poor grocery shopping habits, she didn't know. She salted the eggs a little and made sure a sausage link was cooked all the way through before plating all the food. Bucky had fixed the coffee while she cooked and they all sat back down at Steve's banged up table to eat.

"Not bad," said Bucky after a few bites. Sutton shrugged as she sat with her feet crossed under her on the chair and sipped at the bitter coffee. They didn't have creamer.

"There's not a lot to work with, to be fair," she said. "Usually I like a few more flavors. A nice omelette with cheese, spinach, and mushrooms? A side of buttered sourdough? Now that's a breakfast." She snapped her head up in sudden realization. "But thank you for what you brought! I know with, uh, the war things are tough right now. For everyone! I sure do miss...cake. Am I right?"  
Steve looked confused and Bucky laughed.

"You're  _just_  helping her," he asked. Steve looked at him drolly and nodded. Bucky grinned. "Well, in that case; speaking of cake. Hey sugar, you rationed?"

Sutton blinked. Opened her mouth and closed it and fumbled.

"Um. What?"

"Knock it off, Buck."

Bucky waved him off and leaned over the table to offer a hand.

"I'm James, by the way. Don't think we made proper introductions." Sutton hesitated, still trying to figure out what he'd asked her, but slipped her hand into his and shook it.

"Sutton," she said.

"Beautiful name for a beautiful dame."

Steve hunched over his plate with a glower and Sutton tilted her head to the side.

"Is this the part where I swoon? Cool your jets and just eat."

A quirking smirk flashed across Steve's face as he picked at his eggs, and Bucky guffawed.

"Cool my jets," he questioned. "What's that supposed to mean?" She looked up from her cup of coffee, trying to convince herself to take another sip of the gritty drink.

"You know. Chill. Calm down. Oh- wait. Is that not a saying here?"

Bucky shook his head.

"That's the first time I've heard it. Funny though.  _Cool your jets._ "

Sutton winced and took a large gulp from her mug.

" _Dang it_ ," she whispered. She was going to have to watch herself more closely. Steve took another bite of his eggs and Sutton wondered yet again at the vast differences between him now and in the future. He was picking at his food, either out of nervousness or something else, when the Steve she knew wouldn't hesitate to eat. Heck, in the future he ate twice as many eggs in a shorter amount of time. More than once she'd jealousy coveted his metabolism.

Yet despite the differences, it was plain he was still Steve. So caring, so stubborn. The serum really did only amplify what was already there.

Steve looked up at her and Sutton took another swallow of the coffee, finishing it off and almost choking on some grounds, as she stood to take her plate to the sink. She rinsed it off and then reached down automatically, but her hand met only cupboard. She stopped and backed up, looking for the dishwasher, but found nothing.

"Oh, dang, right," she muttered. She grabbed the rag that was already in the sink and quickly washed her plate.

"Where are you planning on going, if you don't mind me asking." Steve's voice rose up from the table. Sutton grimaced, smoothed it over, and swiveled as she leaned back against the sink.

" _Hmm?_ Oh. You know." She waved her hand flippantly. "Um...north."

Both Bucky and Steve frowned.

"North," Steve questioned.

"You sound so confident," said Bucky.

"North," Sutton said with firmness. "There's some, um, relatives up there I'll stay with."

"But you said you didn't have any family."

Sutton froze, her hands gripping the countertop behind her. She flashed a nervous smile at Steve and swallowed.

"Right. Yes. Well, what I meant was no  _immediate_  family. I-I totally have a place to go, so no need to worry about me. Actually, it'd probably be best to forget this whole thing ever happened in the first place."

"Why?"

"You runnin' from someone, doll," asked Bucky.

 _Drat it._  She'd been doing so well the previous night too! The temperature was already rising in her face and her tongue was getting tense. The more flustered she got, the deeper the hole she dug for herself and it was so  _frustrating_  because she  _knew_ that but she couldn't stop herself.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "Yesterday just… caught me off guard. It's daylight now, though and I am A-Okay!" She gave them a thumbs up. "I should get going, actually! No use wasting the day."

"Maybe it isn't my place," said Steve. "But I think you're lying. How'd you even manage to get to Brooklyn?"  
"Uh...car," she managed to squeak out. "You know, I should go change back into my clothes."

She dashed out of the kitchen and back into Steve's bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Letting out a breath, she knocked her head back against the door and groaned.

Great. Now he was definitely going to remember her in the future.


	31. Right Time, Wrong Place Part 2

So, maybe Steve knew that she was lying about having somewhere to go. So what? That didn't mean that he could stop her. Or rather, that he would. Steve and Bucky were respectful gentlemen. They would frown and object and then sadly watch her go and wonder what came of her until they were shipped off to Europe and the war.

All she had to do was walk out the front door and ignore all of their arguments.

Easy.

Sutton smoothed out the soft wrap shirt and tweed pants and straightened her spine. With a steadying breath, she opened the door of Steve's room and stepped back out into the hall. Murmuring in the kitchen came to an abrupt stop and she flattened her lips as she came through the doorway.

"Well, thank you," she called. She situated her hair over one shoulder and didn't fully stop on her way to the door. "I really, really appreciate everything you did for me. And the food! Good luck out there!"

"Hey, wait up a minute, doll."

She took another two steps and then Steve's voice piped up.

"Sutton?"

Sutton stopped, wincing as her face skewed and she mentally berated herself. Taking another deep breath, she took a few steps backwards and peered around the wall the the most innocent expression she could muster.

" _Hm_?"  
Both men were eying her oddly and Bucky took an extra second to examine her outfit.

"What," he asked, "are you wearing?"

Sutton put her hands on her hips and lifted up her chin.

"Last I checked, they were called pants. Maybe trousers or breeches depending on where you come from."

"Is that what she came in," Bucky asked Steve. He gestured in her direction and Steve nodded.

"They're just clothes," Sutton insisted. Her eyes briefly flickered back towards the front door as if gauging the distance.

"Yeah," agreed Bucky. "Clothes that look like they're for some woodland creature from a fairytale book."

She stiffened. Her eyes cut back to Bucky and away again as she clenched her hands into fists at her side. Steve watched her and it took her too long to come up with a rebuttal.

"Where are you going ' _north'_ ," Steve asked.

Sutton pressed her fingertips together and then pointed at them both as she desperately attempted to think.

"Look-"

"If you need help, you can just ask." She let out a bark of a laugh at his interruption.

"Oh that's rich, coming from you."

The second the words left her mouth, her brain was yelling in slow motion, reaching out in a vain attempt to grasp the syllables and drag them back into her throat before they could be heard.

She slapped a hand over her mouth as her eyes widened along with Bucky and Steve's. Bucky's gaze slid slowly over to Steve and he cocked his head.

"Just met her last night?" Steve reddened and he hunched down in his chair.

"I may not have been completely….grateful when she first broke the fight up," he admitted. Bucky huffed in exasperation.

Sutton sagged in relief and peeled her hand away from her mouth. His misinterpretation had saved her this time, but now she knew she needed to leave for sure.

"Sorry," she blurted. "I didn't mean that. I-I better go before I make more of a fool of myself."

"You haven't explained anything," Steve argued. Sutton sniffed and urged herself to be strong. To not mess this up. To be harsh, if she had to, for the better of two men in front of her. Even if it was painful to do so.

"And I don't have to. Thank you again. I really do mean that."

She tore herself away from the kitchen and practically sprinted out the front door before she could change her mind. Before she could remember that she was terrified of being out on the streets alone with no way to support herself.

In the right world, so close it  _hurt_.

The side of town that Steve lived on still looked unsavory and ill kept in the full light of day. Sutton tucked her hair into the back of her shirt so it was less noticeable at a glance and shoved her hands into her pockets as she kept her head down. The shirt was loose and, hopefully, if people only spared her a passing glance they'd mistake her for some teen boy. A hat would've probably helped, but she didn't have one.

She hurried down the sidewalk, still afraid the future superhero would try to be heroic preemptively and stop her. People were out and about, looking like they were heading to work. There were a few women dressed in dirty coveralls and carrying metal lunch boxes like in the pictures from her old history book in high school. Some people spared her more than a glance, and Sutton attributed it to the rich color of her top and clear quality of the fabric.

_Curse the elves and their penchant for high fashion._

There was absolutely no way Sutton had any idea of where she was going. At the moment her plan was just  _away_ from Steve and Bucky, but that was as far as it extended. She couldn't even use her knowledge to barter for shelter. And everyone was struggling in this time. People had barely enough for their own families and work was hard. There was no way she could smooze in on another family and feel ok with taking advantage of any generosity.

She glanced at a few of the warehouses that she passed and wondered if she could get one of them to pay her. Well, that would certainly be a progressive step.

She found herself being chased out of factories and warehouses all morning. If they didn't yell at her for barging in without permission, they got testy after she confessed she had no identifying paperwork to give them. No birth certificate, diploma, or even a check receipt to prove she existed and belonged in this country.

By lunch she was tired and hungry and feeling a bit frayed. As much as universe hopping was currently the hardest period of life she'd endured so far, she hadn't quite felt so helpless before. What she did here mattered even  _more_ , if she still hoped to come back to the same world she'd left behind.

If only she could figure out how to time travel.

Her leather boots scraped against the concrete as she continued to drag herself along. Her eyes darted every which way as she searched for a familiar landmark. She didn't know what subdivision she was in now. The only thing that guided her was staying away from places where people stared at her a little too long.

"Ok," she said to herself as she walked, "ok, I can work with this. I'm still fine. Just-just gotta-  _hmm._  Oh! Alright, I find Stark Tower, wait. No. That isn't a thing yet. I find Howard Stark. I somehow convince him that I am his illegitimate child and...  _Is he even in New York right now?_  Ugh."

She tapped anxiously on her thigh and bit her lip.

"C'mon, Tony," she whined. "Zap me back to the future already. I'm  _right here_."

For a moment it was silent as she continued to walk, mulling over what options she might have available, when she suddenly froze and almost smacked herself in the face as her eyes lit up.

"Tony! Oh! If I can write a letter, then have it delivered later…."

She didn't know if Tony necessarily have a means of actually retrieving her, but at least she could let him know where to look for her. All she needed now was paper, a pen, and some stamps.

Sutton looked up, ready to search the nearest recycling bin (if they had those), and came to an abrupt halt as she noted Bucky leaning against a brick building a few yards away. Her eyes widened in shock as she took a step back and Bucky raised a curious brow as he tilted his head to the side. Sutton hissed under her breath and turned to flee in the other direction.

Except Steve was a few feet behind her.

Sutton pressed her lips together, sucking on her teeth in frustration, as she leveled an irritated glare at them. When she dropped her shoulders and sighed, they seemed to take that as some sort of sign and moved closer.

"How did you two find me," she snapped as they settled in front of her. Steve frowned and Bucky smirked as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Didn't need to find you. Been following you all day, doll."

She grit her teeth and pinched the bridge of her nose as she let out a deep, frustrated groan.

" _All day?"_

"You don't seem frightened by that." Sutton shot her eyes up to look at Steve, found he wasn't where she expected him to be, and dropped her gaze back down to eye level.

"Excuse me?" Steve made a face at her mistake, but shrugged.

"Two strange guys admit to following you around all day, and you don't seem scared. More annoyed." Sutton floundered for an excuse.

"I'm-I'm a decent judge of character. And you didn't- last night worked out fine. And-wait a second. Don't try to turn this around on me, Steve. This is about  _you two_ following  _me_. I told you that I don't need help."

"Who's Tony," Bucky asked. She flinched visibly and hid her hands behind her back, twisting her fingers around each other as she moved backwards.

"No one! No one you know. Don't worry about it. Stop eavesdropping. And I'll say it again, I don't need help, ok?" Bucky laughed lightly.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a terrible liar? Worse that Stevie, here, even." Sutton scowled.

"Yes. All the time. I mean-! Just the lying bit. I mean-Dang it." She pointed at them both and glared. "I can't, with you two. I'm leaving now."

Bucky looked to Steve in bafflement of her outburst.

"She can't  _what_  with us?"

With another deep breath, Sutton forced herself to swivel around and head in the opposite direction. She flicked a peace sign over her shoulder and told herself not to stop or turn back.

"Sutton, wait." Steve's voice called out. Her feet slowed and stopped moving against her own wishes and Sutton groaned. There was a long whistle.

"Two for two," Bucky said. His tone was light and amused. "Someone has a soft spot for ya, Stevie."

Her face was hot as she whipped back to face them.

"Why does everyone keep-" She swallowed down the rest of the original sentence.

"Listen, can you- can you just trust me on this?" She raked her hands through her hair and over the back of her neck. "I swear I'm not being crazy just for the sake of being crazy."

Something in Steve's eyes shifted. She wasn't quite sure what it was. But he wasn't shying away and he clearly wasn't backing down. Honestly, she shouldn't have expected any differently.

"Can you  _honestly_  tell us that you don't need help? Because from what we've seen, it doesn't even look like you know where you're going or how to function around here."

"So, maybe I'm not from around Brooklyn…"

"You even from this time. Thought I heard you say something about the future." Bucky's tone was completely humorous. He probably caught a few words from Sutton's mumbled rant to herself and was attempting to ease the mood set by Steve's accusations. But Sutton still bit the inside of her cheek.

"Where else would I be from," she asked stiltedly. Bucky clicked his tongue.

"Kind of an odd response, but we'll move along."

"I've got paper," Steve offered. "Probably a few stamps." Sutton glowered again, shoulders hunching with the evidence that they actually had heard more of what she'd said to herself than she would've liked.

"You're very persistent," she said. "And a bit more conniving than I would've expected." She muttered the second sentence, but Steve's lips still quirked up.

They seemed to be waiting. Sutton wondered briefly if they'd continue following her if she kept going, or if they'd realize they were wasting their time. But she didn't have any money. She didn't even know where the nearest Wal Mart or convenience store was. The silence stretched on and Sutton internalized a sigh.

"I'd pay you back for the stamp, of course," she said. Steve's smile was small, but amused.

"If you wanted."

"And I'd only stay until my letter 's sent.  _And_ ," she stressed, "I'm not answering any more personal questions. None."

Bucky moved around to slap a hand on Steve's back, grinning in a way that said he'd noticed he'd been left out of the conversation.

"Sounds fair to me."

Sutton ran her hands through her hair again and gave a grimace of a smile.

Lord help her, she was going to wreck the future.

**[][]**

Two weeks. Two weeks passed with the mysterious Sutton before she just vanished. She'd hinted that she would leave. Had asked Steve to deliver her letter for her if "she wasn't able to". It wasn't sealed when he found it, and Steve wasn't exactly proud to say that he peeked inside. Usually he wouldn't. It wasn't right. But after two weeks and a few instances of Sutton making much too familiar statements, he couldn't help himself.

To be fair, her letter wasn't detailed. Only about half the page was used.

_Tony, I'm alive. Got back here, in MCU, somehow. But you know me, my luck is always slightly off. Ended up in Brooklyn. The date is 5/13/1943. There are….other "Spangled" complications. I'd appreciate a pick up ASAP._

_I'll record the date of every day I'm here, just so you know._

_And please don't feel bad. Get some sleep. I'm doing alright._

_Love ya,_

_Sutton_

The rest was a line of dates that Sutton had recorded, just like she'd said she would. Steve frowned even as he sealed the envelope and took it down to the post office. He got an odd look as he relayed Sutton's instructions to the postal worker.

"Can you set this to be delivered on April 5th... 2013?"

The postal worker looked up sharply.

"Sir, that's...that's… I believe,  _seventy_  years from now."

Steve tilted his head in understanding and shifted back on his heels as he eyed the envelope one last time.

"I know."

**[][]**

_"Yeah, yeah. You've got big bad Loki to battle, but listen. Take it somewhere else. You can't play in the middle of the street."_

A twinge of familiarity shot through Steve even as he attempted to settle the situation. Loki was only freshly defeated but with this new hiccup, all bets were off. They didn't need civilians getting in the way if the fighting picked back up. The woman was frightened and shrill, as one might be if a group of crime fighters had appeared in front of their car unexpectedly. She didn't know what was going on, and Steve understood that, but neither did they. They weren't even in New York anymore. The sky had gone dark when it was just daylight a few moments before.

"Ma'am," Steve finally managed to butt in, "I'm going to have to ask you to calm down."

"Well isn't  _that_  a grand idea!"

He recognized that voice. He swore he did.

Steve stopped to look at the woman, really look at her, and he felt the blood drain from his face. Wild, light brown curls, a face pinched in shock and recognition, and a small frame. Steve blinked a few times as the memories came back. Of a woman pulling him away from a fight, aggressively denying his hospitality, asking him to send a letter.

He hadn't thought much about her since he'd joined the war. Not at all after he'd woken up in a new century. But there she was. Alive and staring at him like she was in just as much shock as he was.

"Sutton?"  
Her face only paled further.

"How the  _heck_  does Captain America know my name?"

The team was staring at him, Steve knew that. The confusion levels had just escalated. But he couldn't wrap his mind around how she was even there. Looking more at home and adjusted in the present day than he'd ever seen her.

"I'm Steve," he said. She shook her head and let out a crazed laugh.

"Yeah. I know. Steve Rogers. But  _you_  shouldn't know  _me._  Oh my gosh, did Chase spike my soda? I'll kill him."

"Steve," Nat's voice rose up. "You want to share with the class?"

 _Time_ , Steve realized. She was in a different time. The dates she'd been keeping record of. The fact that she didn't know '40s slang or have anywhere to go. The fact that she knew about Stark Tower and Tony before they were even thought of.

She'd never been from the '40s at all.

And this Sutton was different. Louder, more erratic in her frantic behavior.

He had the sinking suspicion that this wasn't the Sutton he'd run into yet.

"No, nothing," he finally said. "I-I heard your friend...he said your name…."

Sutton squinted at him, her nose wrinkling and eyes shifting to the side as she tried to remember if that were true.

"I don't- I didn't even hear- You know what, the last five minutes of my life are a chaotic blur at the moment." She grabbed either side of her face and pressed against her temples. "You all shouldn't even exist!"

And Steve started to get the feeling that maybe she hadn't just been out of her own time when they met.

**[][]**

It'd been three months since Tony had pulled Sutton back into their universe and stabilized her molecular structure. Three months, when he received a letter in the mail from her address. He took it up to his apartment with him, feeling along the edge of the envelope as he dropped his keys in a bowl next to his door and turned the lock behind him.

Running a finger under the flap, he pulled apart the seal and grabbed the folded sheet of paper inside. It was thin, with only the barest amount of ink bleeding through the back. When he opened it, a dollar bill fell out and his hand shot down to catch it before it hit the ground.

 _For the stamp,_  the letter said.  _With interest._

Steve smiled and eyed the dollar before he shoved it in his pocket. He put the letter on his mantle.


	32. Wings AU

There was a tautness growing around her chest by the day. Sutton summed it up to stress and to the fact that she still wasn't adjusting super well to the Marvel universe. After all, she was one of the only people in this entire world without wings. It was oddly alienating. But days of antacids and attempts at meditating hadn't helped. The tightness only grew. Sank in. Not to mention that her body had started to ache. It left her feeling uncomfortable in her own skin. Irritable and twitching.

She sat at the bar in the Tower kitchen and groaned as she rubbed at her shoulders, her head bowed down low and her eyes closed. The aching in her bones was getting worse. She'd never experienced stress pains that felt quite so deep. Usually they were sharper. Closer to the surface.

"Hey, you ok?"

A breeze shifted through her hair and Sutton cut her eyes up to see Steve. He was digging through the cupboard for a glass and he glanced passed his folded wings to look at her in concern. Sutton smiled before another ache rippled along her spine. She groaned and tried to rub the middle of her back.

"Just a back ache."

Steve blinked a second then flushed red and looked away, his feathers ruffling slightly as he awkwardly flexed them.

"Oh. Um, sorry."

Sutton looked up, wondering why he sounded so embarrassed when it clicked. She flushed red too.

"Oh gosh, no. It's not  _that_ ," she said. "No. I thought it was stress because, like, I've been having this tension around my chest, but… It's been going on for weeks now. Painkillers and Tums aren't really helping."

Steve filled his glass with water and took a sip. The redness in his face slowly faded.

"Huh," he said. He tapped his finger against his glass a couple times. "That almost sounds like-" He didn't finish his sentence though. Putting his glass in the sink, he rounded the bar to stand behind her.

"Where does it hurt?"

Sutton gestured from her shoulder blades down to the base of her spine.

"Everywhere."

The hair at her temple tickled her face as another burst of air blew from her back. What had Steve so fidgety?

"Do you mind if I, uh, try something? I'd have to touch you." Sutton put her forehead in her hands and stifled another groan.

"Go for it," she said.

For a moment there was nothing. Just the static of  _something_  about to happen hanging in the air. Then fingers brushed lightly against the outsides of Sutton's back. A tentative warning that he was there. She flinched slightly in surprise, but settled back down and Steve increased the pressure of his fingers.

From shoulder blade to mid-back, he kneaded his knuckles down either side of her spine and Sutton melted. She sighed and slumped further over the bar, feeling a release in the ever present ache for the first time in weeks.

"That helps?"

"Oh my gosh. I should have gone to a masseuse two weeks ago."

Steve laughed lightly, but there was a strain to it. Sutton was in too much bliss to question why. He worked his way inwards closer to her spine. Sutton hissed slightly the closer he got and he let up a little.

Something felt…different. She shifted, sat up straighter, and tried to identify the sensation. But she just…couldn't. Steve stopped.

"Is it bothering you?"

He'd only stopped for a few seconds, but already the ache started to creep back in just as strong as ever. As if he'd never provided a reprieve in the first place. She was so tired of the pain!

"No." Her voice warbled. She was- was starting to cry? "Will it never stop? Am I just going to be in pain forever? Why am I crying in front of you? I didn't mean to cry at all!"

"Hey, hey, hey."

Steve fluttered around to her side. One arm and wing stretched out to drape over her in comfort.

"You're not going to be in pain forever."

"Everything hurts, Steve. Everything. Like, just imagine the worst growing pains you ever had and multiply it by five."

"I know a bit about growing pains," Steve said dryly. He sighed and his wings spread out only to quickly clap closed.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I could- take a look at your back," he offered. Sutton snorted through more irritated tears.

"You want to look under my shirt?  _Steve Rogers."_

When he responded, his voice was a bit terse, annoyed.

"I want to rule something out."

Sutton went suddenly hot, her emotions flip-flopping from extreme embarrassment to irritation to despair and back again.

"If you think you can keep me from having to visit the hospital, go ahead, I guess. But no funny business."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

He sighed to himself and then tugged up on the hem of her shirt. Sutton flushed even hotter and hoped it wasn't visibly noticeable. But Steve only lifted her shirt up to mid-back. He pushed some air through his teeth and pressed against…  _something_. It was her back, but it wasn't familiar. A ridge? A scar? Was she getting scoliosis?

"That explains a lot," Steve finally said.

"What," she asked, sitting up higher. "What is it?"

"Don't panic, but… I think you're budding."

"WHAT!"

"No, no, no, no; wings!  _Budding wings!_ On your back. Kids usually go through it, but you have the same symptoms, so…."

"I am  _not_ getting wings," Sutton said hotly. "That's not something people from my world do. It's  _not wings_."

Steve  _tsked._

"It looks like the start of wings to me," he said.


	33. Wings AU Part 2

"Well, it's definitely wings," the doctor said. He snapped off his latex gloves and moved around the exam table to face Sutton again. "Though I have to say, in all my years working, this has to be the most latent stage of budding I've ever seen."

Sutton winced for the upteenth time that day and wrung her hands.

"But, I don't understand. I  _don't have wings._ That isn't- isn't something-"

"I'm sure after so many years of being...wingless this is a shock. But don't be concerned. It looks like they're growing in normally. You should come back in throughout their development to have them checked though. I want to make sure there's no complications due to your age."

As if her life couldn't get any weirder.  
"Yeah." She let out a breathy exhale. "Yeah, sure."

She stumbled out of the Urgent Care with a bag of ointment for itching and swelling along with some extra strength painkillers. She felt like she'd dropped into a Twilight Zone episode.

It had been difficult enough trying to adjust to a world so wildly different from her own. Everything here was bigger, more open. Doorways arched high overhead and some buildings had entrances available on their roofs. The skies. The skies were always full.

A child, probably six years old, zipped hazardly by her face, nearly nicking her, and their mother followed closely behind. She flapped her large, dark wings once and offered Sutton an apologetic wave as she passed.

"Sorry! Scarlet, get back here now!"

Sutton watched it all in a new light.

Would she be like one of them when the things on her back fully came in? Would she zip around and glide and ruffle feathers when irritated? Or would she be even more of a weirdo? The wingless girl who tried to grow a set. With mottled feathers and wing joints that were too big because her body wasn't supposed to be like this and it didn't know what it was doing.

"So, what's the verdict?"  
Sutton jumped as Tony flitted into view and landed with a hop. The rest of the team landed in turn and her face heated. Steve offered her a sheepish smile.

"Sorry," he said. "But Jarvis said something to Tony and they asked and…."

"It's- it's fine," Sutton interjected. "Not like it'd be a secret for long, right?"  
"So it's true," Tony prodded. "I've got to say, this is pretty incredible. If I could guess, I'd say that your molecular structure is reconforming to match our universe's. Changing your DNA is a pretty big deal though. I'm sure Bruce can-"

"How are you handling this," Clint asked. Sutton blinked. She inhaled quickly and let it out again.

"I don't know. I'm still not sure I completely believe it."

Natasha put a hand on her shoulder and Sutton watched the way her iridescent feathers reflected all the sun's rays in a multitude of colors.

"It's going to be alright," Nat said. "You'll adjust fine."

"You'll get to buy normal clothes," Clint pointed out.

"Normal? Normal clothes don't have holes- _no_." Sutton breathed in and let it out. "New world, new normal." She reminded herself. "I guess... it'd be nice to not to have them made," she allowed.

"Alright," said Tony, "I'm opening up the betting pool. I say she gets something domestic.

Like a parakeet."

"Tony," Bruce interjected, "she's from another world."

"Yeah, but look at her. She just looks like a parakeet."

"Um, the cuckoo drops its egg in a nest it doesn't belong in, so… Am I the only one seeing a correlation here?"

Nat rolled her eyes at Clint and Sutton let out a startled exclamation.

"You can't put down bets on what kind of wings I'll get!"

"Why not," asked Tony. "It's a time honored tradition. Consider it an official welcome into this world. People won't stare at you in horror anymore." Sutton sneered.

"Geez, thanks Tony. I feel so much better now."

**[]**

Sutton screamed, losing her footing on the wet tile, and slid, swung, and staggered as she wiped out an entire shelf of soaps and shampoos on her way down. She landed with an ' _oof',_ but managed to catch herself before she could knock any teeth out. The loofa she'd been holding rolled lethargically towards the indented drain, being rinsed of its suds as the seconds ticked by.

Sutton panted, trying to recover as water continued to spray down over her head and back.

Nubs. There were nubs on her back. Protruding out from by her spine.

She pushed herself up and stood, her legs still a bit shaky, as she reached behind her again to feel the confirmation. It was like someone had attached two sticks from her back and wrapped them in skin. No, more than that. She could feel the bulge of developing muscle around it as well. When had those appeared? She'd been rubbing ointment on raised skin the other day. Did these things just sprout overnight? Was she going to wake up with  _more?_

The shower was cut short. Sutton rinsed off and hurried over to the mirror on the wall. Wiping some condensation from the glass, she twisted around and let her towel drop to her lower back in order to see.

Two...two..appendages, for lack of a better term, were protruding from near her shoulder blades. They were shaped almost like thumbs, thicker at the base and narrowing as they extended. They were the same fleshy tone as her skin. They actually looked like they'd just  _pushed up under her skin._

It was weird. It was gross.

Sutton was going to lose it.

"Oh my gosh." She groaned, covering her mouth as she swiveled to get different angled views of the things. "Oh my gosh, I'm a freak."

There was a new sort of tension around those appendages. Not the painful, pulling kind. But the kind that was weighted. That let you know it was there. Like how your arm feels when you're holding it by your side. Relaxed, but always ready to move. Sutton didn't want to find out if these things could do that.

She quickly got dressed, but noticed a new problem that she may have just been too half asleep to catch before. Her shirt not longer fit like it should. There was a taut tug of fabric pulling uncomfortably at her back. Checking again, she could see the bulge where the protrusions jutted out.

What was she supposed to do?!

They were too long to pretend they weren't there, too short to fold back. And even if they could, Sutton didn't know how or if she wanted to even try.

The best she could do was put on a oversized sweater and slink around awkwardly to compensate for the hunchback she currently had.

Of course that plan worked about as well as any of her others.

It took Clint about 0.57 seconds from when she shuffled in the common room to look up at her, squint, and declare,

"Oh my gosh, they're coming in. Aren't they?"  
Sutton's brilliant response was a knee-jerk,

"No!"

But it was said too quickly, too loudly, and Clint's eyes lit up.

"Why are you hiding them? That's weird."

" _That's weird?_  No. You know what's weird? Two creepy stub things  _sticking out or your back! That's_ weird!"

The commotion and her raised voice drew in more people. Sutton wondered begrudgingly, for the first time probably, why they weren't out fighting some sort of crime. They seemed to have a lot of free time lately for superheroes.

Tony zipped into the room, hovering over her and moving from side to side in quick bursts of motion as he examined her poor attempt to hide the developing wings.

"That's fast," he said. "You're body must be trying to play catch up. Want me to cut a couple slots in your sweater? That can't be comfortable."

"No," snapped Sutton. "I don't want people looking at them!"

Steve settled next to her, flapping his wings a few times as he adjusted his stance.

"You don't have to be shy. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's natural."

"Not to me."

Natasha knocked into her with a wing and nudged her with an elbow.

"Trust me," she said. "People will think it's more odd that you're hiding them."

Sutton sucked in a deep, unenthused breath while ringing her hands. The tension and pulling on the back of her sweater was annoying, but she loathed the idea of putting her oddity on display. She looked to Natasha again and Nat dipped her head in reassurance.

"Fine," she said, her tone defeated. "But don't stare!"

Nat pulled a pocket knife from her jeans and flipped it as she snapped it open.

"Hold still." She flashed a grin and Sutton stiffened.

The sweater was sliced through rather quickly. After two short strokes Nat backed away with a hand over her mouth in an attempt to hide a grin. There was a chitter through the group and Sutton reddened. She tried to turn away from their eyes, but was pretty well surrounded on all sides.

"I knew it! It's creepy!"

"No, no," assured Steve. He rolled his lips through his teeth as he maintained his own composure. "It's not weird, it's just-" He voice tapered off and Tony finished for him.

"You have baby wings. You know those videos where the adults talk with little kid voices? It's like that."

"All the kids would say you're kawaii," said Clint. He pushed his wings back through the gap in the couch and stretched further. Nat crossed her eyes.

"You don't even know what that means."

Sutton just rubbed at her face and groaned.

"How long does it take for feathers to come in?"

**[]**

Having two heavy appendages suddenly growing from your back after reaching an adult age without them, wasn't exactly easy to adjust to. Sutton wasn't used to the extra weight, the bulk, or moving them in a way that didn't clear table tops and pictures from walls.

Tony dubbed her a public hazard.

Sutton just wanted to be able to walk without struggle again.

She'd never considered herself exceptionally clumsy. She had her moments now and then, as everyone did, but she wasn't one to trip over a leaf or run into walls.

That had changed.

Half the time she forgot about the growing wings behind her and attempted to stand from the couch only to be forcefully yanked back with a yelp as her wings stayed behind. Or she'd accidentally twitch one, flex it with more force than she meant to, and throw herself into the opposite wall as she vainly attempted to keep her balance. Often, they'd ache or itch and she'd open them wide without looking only to clip someone in the face or send something tumbling from the countertop.

The team conspired together and got her a wing harness. Apparently she was small enough to use one in an extra, extra large from the children's section, since they didn't really make them for adults.

It was a device that strapped around your torso and helped hold up your wings. With it on, she was able to stretch her wings out about a quarter of the way before there was a tug that kept them tucked in. Supposedly it helped children learn how to carry their wings and taught them how to be aware of their movements. She felt silly and juvenile, but the team assured her it was temporary.

 _All kids used them_ , they reassured.  _You'll learn quickly._

Sutton certainly hoped so.

**[]**

When the feathers really started growing in and filling out, everyone's excitement was renewed. They reconfirmed the betting pool and waited in anticipation as the pin feathers were groomed of their waxy coating.

(Nat helped teach her all about feather grooming, and assisted her when needed. As Sutton had learned early on, there were certain connotations and ideas about grooming that she hadn't worked up to with everyone yet.)

The feathers looked relatively dark as they grew in, and Sutton wasn't sure what to make of them.

She opened one wing at her side and picked at the feathers that had started coming in.

"Think I'm a crow," she asked as Nat scraped at the waxy coating over the feathers.

"You wouldn't be a crow, you'd have  _crow wings_. Like I have magpie wings, but I'm not a magpie myself." Sutton rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, forgot you all are touchy about that. Nah, you know what? I'm probably unlucky enough to end up with pigeon wings."

Nat shrugged one shoulder.

"Nothing wrong with pigeon wings. They still work."

"Yeah, Small Fry. Haven't you seen that commercial? All wings are beautiful."

Tony landed on the balls of his feet and continued forward without even hesitating. He eyed her feathers and pursed his lips as if impressed.

"Purple," he said. "Nice. That narrows it down a bit. Thanks for making me lose the bet, though. Not cool."

Sutton perked up and tried to twist to see where he was looking, but Nat pushed her back.

"Stay still. I'm still working on this side."

"Purple," Sutton questioned, her voice high. "I have purple feathers? You mean it? What bird is even purple?"

"A couple."

Tony circled around behind her to get a better look.

"Well, we already knew by the shape that they weren't going to be hummingbird, or bird of prey."

"I think they're starling."

Sutton looked up to see Steve swoop into the room. His wings were much larger than hers, more powerful looking. She couldn't imagine having that sort of weight on her back constantly. Natasha's tone sounded amused when she spoke.

"Been doing some research, Rogers?"  
Steve face went a bit pink.

"I was just trying to figure it out. For the bet."

Sutton couldn't help but straighten a bit proudly, a warm feeling expanding in her chest. She flicked her wings reflexively and Nat let out an irritated yell as she was knocked to the side.

"Sutton!"  
"Oops! Sorry!"

Tony swiped through a few holographic projections coming from his watch as he hovered over the ground.

"Ah," he exclaimed. "I think I just found it. The Violet Backed Starling. Dang, I wasn't even close." Sutton stuck her tongue out at him.

"Domestic bird my eye," she taunted.

**[]**

A few weeks later and all of her feathers had come in. Sutton was relieved that she no longer had weird naked limbs, or scraggly looking, half grown in wings for people to stare at. Now they were large, shimmering purple and blue feathers that came out passed her arms when she spread them wide.

It was a bit easier to walk now that she'd gotten used to them, and she didn't have to wear the harness anymore. Not that her wings would even fit anymore.

But Sutton was wracked with a new anxiety. About the step that came next. The one everyone expected her to jump into willingly.

_Flying._

She was doing well just to control the things, she wasn't sure she'd ever be ready to actually use them like they were meant to. Getting sad or odd stares from the people around her was something she could live with. Even if she'd sometimes watched the Avengers with envy as they took off into the sky, even if little kids barely in school could fly with more skill, even if she often needed help getting to different floors of stairless boutiques.

There was just too much terror coating the idea of leaping off a ledge and trusting herself to use wings that she hadn't believed a person could possess. That  _she_ shouldn't have in the first place.

How did one even flap them in order to stay aloft? How did you know when you could glide or how did you figure out how to turn? How the heck did you stop and land?

She might've lucked out on getting some interesting colored feathers (she suspected her DNA glitched and threw her a bone somehow since she was from another universe), but she didn't believe she'd be so lucky to be an adept flier.

As far as she knew, the Avengers were out on a mission and she had the Tower, for all intents and purposes, to herself. Through mindless wandering she'd found herself in the open air garden that Tony had shown her as her feathers started coming in.

" _When they're fully grown, you can practice here,_ " he'd said. Sutton had laughed awkwardly and brushed the offer aside.

The garden was a large space, as she found most spaces were in this world. There were different brightly hued flowers and some hummingbird feeders hanging from a few Japanese maple trees. Sutton flared her wings in a crouch then jumped up onto one of the concrete walls that held some blooming fauna. Her legs wobbled and she extended her wings out for balance, the purple in her feathers glowing as the sun's rays reflected off of them.

Straightening, she huffed and walked along the edge of the wall. Once in awhile she'd spread out her wings just to catch the breeze. Just to see how it felt.

After a few turns around the garden, the sun's heat began to penetrate her wings and skin. She sat on the short wall and kicked her legs as she turned her face up to the sky. A gentle breeze drifted down and she breathed in the fresh air with a hum.

Maybe, just a little bit, she wondered what it was like up there. Flying above the skyscrapers and among the clouds, looking down at the sparkling city high enough that it looked clean and unbothered. Or maybe what it was like to just drop. To let her body fall with the knowledge that she could catch herself. That thrill of butterflies as she plummeted and pulled up with a  _snap_  at the last second. Maybe she wondered what it would be like to fly with the team. To not miss out on conversations or inside jokes.

"Have you even tried yet?"

Sutton jumped, feathers ruffling, as she looked up. Steve was leaning against the wall near the entrance, a soft smile on his face. Sutton ducked her head and tucked some hair behind her ear.

"Ah, oh, flying? Not really."

He arched his back and pushed off the wall to come join her. His own wings were much larger than hers. They were geared more towards soaring and yet he was still able to tuck them against his back enough to sit close to her.

"It's ok to be nervous. Everyone always is." Sutton snorted.

"Yeah,  _kids._ Wait. I thought you guys were on a mission?"  
"We were," said Steve. "And we finished. When you weren't in the common room, some of us wondered if you'd be up here."

"I just like the plants. I don't care about flying."

"Uh-huh."

"I don't," she defended. "I know you all don't get it, because all you've known is this, but I didn't. This is… unusual to me. I can get along fine on the ground."

Steve tilted his head to the side as he eyed her.

"You wouldn't mind missing out on what's up there? On using the wings this universe gave you?" Sutton jutted her chin, too far in now to confess to anything.

"Not really."

"Then I'm completely baffled by what you must have been thinking all those times you stared at all the flying pedestrians. Or watched us fly away from the Tower. Or looked up flying instructables on youtube."

"How did you-  _ugh._  Tony."

She didn't really have a solid defense. When it all boiled down to it she was terrified of killing herself. Or looking more stupid than she felt. Or being a real freak with wings that she couldn't use. Steve nudged her with his shoulder.

"What if I wanted to fly with you?"

That got her attention. Sutton sat up straighter and eyed Steve suspiciously. He only smiled openly and she wasn't sure what to make of his statement.

"I'd say that sounded like manipulation."

"Not so bad if it's honest."

Steve stood, shaking out his wings, and offered a hand.

"Come on," he said. "I can help show you."

Sutton twisted her lips and debated. But his large, calloused hand was open, waiting. And the sun was making his hair glow in a way that shouldn't have been real. And it was  _really, really_ hard to say no to Steve Rogers. She sighed and took his hand.

"As long as Jarvis promises to turn off the cameras."

Steve grinned.


	34. Oneshot - Ragnarok

The knocking on her door was far more booming than it usually was. Sutton almost dropped the pan she was using as the noise startled out of her daydream. Letting out a huff and removing the pan from the burner, she moved to the front door and straightened her hair.

Normally Sutton tried to check who was at the door before opening it, especially with such loud knocking, but as she neared her front door it was suddenly thrown open. She managed to catch it before it crashed against the opposite wall.

"Loki," a deep voice admonished.

Thor stood in her doorway, wearing a hoodie and a jean jacket, with Loki behind him in a black-on-black suit. Sutton blanched.

"Nope!"

"I told you," said Loki.

She tried to slam the door back closed, but Thor casually wedged his foot in the way as he spoke.

"Sutton, please," he said, "just hear me out."

Sutton pushed against the door with all her weight, her feet sliding and slipping on the floor, but it refused to even budge.

"You let Loki come back here." She grunted. "After everything!" The door continued tp stay open.

"Our father is missing," Thor said. Sutton stopped trying to force the door closed. "I thought perhaps you could help."

"Help? How could I possibly help with that?" Thor shrugged.

"You know. You have your-" He wiggled his fingers as if casting a cheesy magic spell. Loki rolled his eyes and Sutton pointed at him.

" _He_ has magic, not me!"  
"But you can do your believing thing. It's so useful. And you're so pretty and wonderful. Remember when you gave us a heads up about the Dark Elves? That was so awesome and saved so many lives. Wouldn't you like to do that again?"

Sutton groaned and rubbed at her face.

"Thor," she whined.

"My mother is super worried about him."

Sutton pointed sternly at him.

"Don't. Don't you dare bring Frigga into this."

**[]**

Sutton couldn't believe that she was tagging along after Thor and Loki as they trekked down the sidewalk. She felt like a tiny ant in comparison to them, and more than a little uneasy that Loki was walking around freely. Probably worse was that Thor decided she might be useful at all. Either he thought this was bigger than a simple rescue mission, or he believed that Loki might be luring him into a trap again and wanted a convenient way out. Sutton didn't like those possibilities.

The sound of beeping construction equipment sounded ahead of them and Loki's face fell as the sound grew louder. Sutton eyed his expression and then noted the pile of rubble that had been a building. Thor and Loki stopped, staring at the heap of brick and dust and Loki hummed awkwardly.

"I swear," he said. "I left him right here."

Sutton facepalmed and Thor shot Loki a disparaging look.

"You mean on the pavement outside, or actually in the building currently being demolished?"

A placard lay prominently on a pile of brick to be easily read.  _Shady Acres Care Home_  was engraved into the brass.

"You left  _Odin_  in an old folks home? On earth?" Sutton's tone was beyond exasperated. Loki shrugged.

"He  _is_ incredibly old," he defended.

"You're old!"

Thor rolled his eyes and frowned, looking grumpy and put out more than distressed.

"I can't believe you did this. After everything. Do you never learn?"

"Never learn? This was me being kind."

Turning to her, Thor gave her his patent puppy eyes and tried to grin.

"Well? Do you think you can-?" His voice tapered off and Sutton scoffed.

"What? Reconstruct the building? Make your dad appear? How do you think this ability works?"

Thor implied that either of those options would work, or both of them together. Sutton explained that would be the equivalent of her basically turning back time which she politely refused to do. She'd prefer to stay alive and/or out of the hospital if she could help it. Loki smirked smugly at their conversation and Sutton scowled up at him.

A few women ran up, giggling, before they could continue talking and asked Thor for a photo. Sutton begrudgingly scooted closer to Loki in order to get out of the way and they both rolled their eyes at the same time over the fanfare.

"Thanks! Sorry Jane dumped you!"

Thor's face fell to look aghast and insulted as the girls pranced away. He sniffed and raised his head up proudly.

"She didn't dump me," he defended. "I dumped her. It was a mutual dumping."

Loki nodded in humoring sympathy and patted Thor on the back. Sutton shrugged sheepishly.

"Long distance is difficult for people on the same planet. Let alone across galaxies."

"And you would know," Loki questioned. She hated the way he could tower over her. All smug and dark and self righteous.

"Hardly," she snapped. "It's been hard to get dates between trying to save the world from a diabolical madman and the planet finding out just where you're from."

"Those are very legitimate sounding excuses, darling."

"Excuses?" Her voice rose an octave. "I don't need to make excuses." Loki's smirk only grew and she stomped closer to poke him in the chest. "Need I remind you, that it was  _you_ that put me-"

A golden circle suddenly flared and sparked around the two of them. Loki stiffened and Thor blinked in surprise. Sutton performed a quick personal inspection to make sure the sparking ring wasn't from her before she glared back up at Loki.

"What are you doing?"

"Loki, what is this?"

But Loki looked concerned and unsure.

"This isn't me," he said.

The ground was suddenly pulled out from under her. Sutton let out a shriek as she dropped and felt her stomach rise up in her throat. Loki let out a short, choked yelp as he dropped with her.

The light disappeared from above them and Sutton reached out blindly for anything to stop her fall. Hands reached back and grasped her around the arms, then pulled her towards a body.

"Loki." She growled under her breath.

"Do you really have a better option at the moment?"  
His voice was a bit pinched and his grip tense, which told her he was just as lost in this situation as she was.

"Who'd you upset now?"  
"You think I can keep track of that?"  
"Oh, you're absolutely useless."

They were still falling. The butterflies in Sutton's stomach had come and gone as they plummeted for an unnatural amount of time. It was as though they were falling through a void. After it appeared they weren't hitting the ground or any sharp objects any time soon, Sutton let out a huffy breath, her eyes straining to see in the pitch black dark.

"I don't need this  _Alice in Wonderland_  garbage," she said. "Why did I have to fall for Thor's guilt trip?"

"You're not the first."

"Yeah. I remember how he got all of you to go on the Jotunheim trip from the first movie."

The void continued. Their conversation stalled; what exactly did they have to discuss while plunging either forever or to an eventual death? But Loki did tug her closer at one point, switching from holding her arms to locking her close to him with hands clasped around her waist.

"This is more comfortable," he said before she could snap at him. "My strength may surpass anything you mortals could ever hope to possess, but even I can experience muscle strain."

"That sounded frighteningly close to a humble brag."

"Merely facts."

Light suddenly flared underneath them, Sutton could see a room fast approaching. Another yell escaped her throat and even Loki let out another yelp as he rotated them so that he would be cushioning her from impact with the floor.

Sutton squeezed her eyes shut and she winced as she heard Loki hit the ground with a  _crack!_

She opened her eyes, trying to catch her breath, and Loki squinted as he grit his teeth in a seething pain and anger.

"We've been falling," he yelled, his tone rising, "for  _thirty minutes!_ "

Having used Loki as a landing pad, Sutton clambered off of him feeling more dizzy than injured. She stood and instinctively offered him a hand to help him up. Loki tore his eyes away from the people he was looking at and hesitated, but he accepted her hand and stood whether he needed the help or not.

Sutton looked to see who else was in the room and her face lit up as she spotted Thor.

"Thor! Oh, thank goodness, I-"

Her sentence was cut short as her gaze caught sight of the man standing next to him. She let out a reflexive yelp and stumbled backwards into Loki, her breathing becoming shorter as her eyes widened.

"No-  _how?_ "

 _Khan?_ How had Khan gotten back into the Marvel universe? It shouldn't be possible!

Thor looked from Sutton to the man next to him and back before his face finally lit up in understanding.

"This isn't your nemesis, Khan," he said. "This man is called Stephen Strange."

" _Doctor_ Stephen Strange," the man corrected. His voice was more nasally than Khan's, with more of an American accent than a British one. "Sutton Regan," he said, turning to her. "Sorry you got caught in that. We should have a chat when you have more time." Sutton's eyes widened further.

"No thank you."  
Whether that bothered him or not, she couldn't tell. He just switched his attention back to Thor and gave him a prim smile.

"Alright. You can handle him from here."

Behind her, Loki tensed. He shook his arms out at his sides and gripped two daggers that fell from his sleeves.

"Handle me? Who are you? You think you're some kind of sorcerer? Don't think for one minute, you second-rate-"

Doctor Stephen Strange waved his fingers in a circle and another sparking ring flared up in front of them.

"Bye-bye," he said cheerfully. Then he thrust his hands towards them and the ring shot in their direction. Thor accepted it, Loki lunged, Sutton attempted to scramble away.

"No, wait! Not me! I'm not part of this- wait!"

She stumbled and caught herself before eating it on the grass. Loki wasn't so lucky. Thor was the least phased out of all of them, probably having been more mentally prepared for what was about to happen. Sutton snapped up to look at their surroundings. They were on some sort of cliffside, by an ocean, and she had a feeling she wasn't in New York State anymore.

"Oh no," she muttered. "Tony is going to  _kill_ me."

"I promise to return you home before we return to Asgard," Thor said.

She didn't want to wait. She didn't want to be involved in the royal families' internal problems at all. Raising her eyes to the sky, she lifted one side of her face hopefully.

"Heimdall?"  
"Heimdall isn't manning the bifrost at the moment."

"What?"

But they were distracted by a figure sitting on a large rock outcropping staring out at the churning waves.  _Odin_.

Thor and Loki moved forward to speak with him and Sutton held back. It wasn't her business, and she was pointless now that they'd found him.

She sat on the grass and tried to huddle down and hide from the wind as their conversation drifted over to her.

 _Forgiveness_.  _Goodbye._

Those were the messages that Odin was giving his sons. Sutton felt her own chest tighten as she kept her eyes locked on the grass, pulling out individual blades, and tried to pretend she didn't hear all of it.

Whether Odin was just deciding he was done, or he knew his time was coming, she didn't know. But right before he left, he dropped a bomb on everyone.

Thor and Loki had a sister. An evil, powerful sister who'd been locked away for thousands of years. An evil sister who gained power from Asgard itself and who would be set free with his death.

Sutton's gaze shot up and she stared at the back of Odin's head with wide eyes. Thor and Loki's faces were shades of floored and distraught. She pushed herself to her feet and wrung her hands as Thor tried to plead with his father to stay. To help them.

Odin refused.

If she had been uncertain of her involvement in their situation before, she was vehemently against it now. She watched as Odin disappeared into a gold mist and drifted over the ocean. There was a still, sad silence as the two Odinsons stared out at the fading light.

She didn't know who her own dad was, and from what she'd seen of Odin he wasn't exactly her favorite person, but she could still imagine the pain of losing a parent.

Sutton swallowed thickly and flinched back as Thor yelled at Loki. Blamed him.

"Thor? Are-are you ok?"

Thor turned to her as if only just remembering she was there. He grit his teeth and curled one hand into a fist as he took a steadying breath.

"I'm sorry, Sutton."

She shook her head and rubbed at her arm.

"I'm sorry," she insisted. "I-I'm sure he's at peace. Ah, in Valhalla." Thor smiled thinly.

"Thank you."

Loki let out a huff and sniffed.

"Eloquently put," he said. Sutton cast him a sympathetic look as well.

"I'm sorry for you too." He snapped his teeth together and shut up.

There was a noise suddenly behind her. The wind picked up and Sutton turned while shuffling back as a dark portal tore open before them.

"That isn't me," she said

Thor strode forward, clutching a disguised Mjolnir and pushed her away.

"Get behind me," he said firmly. Sutton willingly complied, scurrying back as both brothers moved a ways in front of her and changed back into their original armor with a dramatic flair unrivaled by mortals.

A figure emerged from a swirling portal. A woman with pale skin and dark hair and a maniacal smile.

"Your sister?" There was a defeated whine to Sutton's tone. She eyed the woman's dark suit and hair. "Loki, I think you stole her look."

"Shut up."

"I am Hela," the woman said, tilting up her jaw. Sutton sneered.

"Wish you'd go back to your namesake."

Loki cut his eyes back to her.

"I appreciate the cheek, but now might not be the best time."

Sutton took another few steps back and sighed. She really just wanted to go home.


	35. Oneshot - Low Key A Cat

Sutton hummed happily as she trotted down the sidewalk. It was a good day. Or, at least it had become one. She was doing a good deed. She was making a difference.

She was rescuing a lost cat.

On her way to the Tower, she'd almost missed it. She'd heard an irritated meowing as she passed an open alley way and couldn't stop herself from darting in and checking. There were stray cats in New York, true, but she'd heard one too many stories about people dropping their pets off in dumpsters when they didn't want them anymore. Few things could get Sutton riled up and fuming as quickly as people abandoning their pets to die.

But what she found was a healthy looking, fluffy black cat. It was actually quite a bit bigger than she expected. More like the size of a Maine Coon. Maybe it was one. Sutton wasn't exactly an expert on cat breeds.

It paced in the alley, meowing as if to itself, and froze when it heard her approach. Sutton had knelt down and stared into the cat's wide green eyes and tried to coo softly.

"Hey, Kitty. Hey, pretty boy. You don't look like you belong out here."

The cat had blinked at her, almost as if appraising her, before it eased forward. Sutton held out her hand and didn't move. Waited for the cat to initiate contact first. The cat eyed her a bit longer, sniffed her fingers, and then decided she was alright and bumped its head against her palm.

She scratched behind it's ears briefly before running a hand down the fur on its back, and hefted it up. The cat squirmed a bit and let out an irritated chitter, but otherwise didn't fight her. Sutton grinned and buried her face into the fur on the back of its head and kissed it.

"Come on pretty boy," she said. "Let's get you somewhere a bit nicer. Maybe some food. That's sounds good, huh?"

The cat seemed to watch keenly, its tail twitching in interest, as she walked through the Tower lobby and into a private elevator.

"Main living floor, please Jarvis."

_[Of course, Miss Sutton. Bringing a guest?]_

She smiled and scratched the cat's head again.

"For a little bit, at least."

When she reached the living room floor, the cat wriggled more noticeably in her hold and she let it go, watching as it shook itself out and pranced across the floor. She grinned and moved to the kitchen to dig through the pantry for something she could offer it. There wasn't much that was necessarily cat friendly. There weren't any cans of tuna, but she did find a packet of smoked salmon. She tore it open and dumped it into a bowl and filled another one with water and placed them on the tile floor.

"Hey kitty, kitty! There's food, buddy."

The cat had disappeared for the moment. Sutton frowned slightly.

"You get shy all of a sudden," she asked. "Kitty?"

She glanced under the coffee table but didn't see it, so she kneeled down to peer under the sofa.

"Hey, buddy?"

She clicked her tongue trying to encourage it closer, but there was no meowing reply.

"What in the world are you doing?"  
Sutton yelped and jumped to her feet. Whirling around she came face to face with Tony who was pegging her with an amused look. She gestured around the room.

"I found a cat," she said. "It was in an alley outside and it doesn't look like a stray, so I brought it here. He's in the room somewhere."

Tony stiffened where he stood, his eyes going wide, and Sutton frowned.

"I wasn't going to just keep it in the Tower," she said. "I'll take it back to my apartment until someone claims it, so don't freak out."

"What color is the cat," Tony asked. Sutton quirked a brow.

"Black," she said flatly. "Why's that matter?"  
Tony rubbed at his forehead.

"Let me guess. It has green eyes and an attitude?"  
Sutton scoffed and shook her head in disbelief.

"Well, I'm not sure about the attitude, but yeah. It has green eyes. How'd you know?"

Tony's gaze left her and shot across the room, looking at all the easily visible places as he began to move around.

"Jarvis," he said. "Where is it?"

A light grid shone across the room in a quick flash.

_[Top cabinets, sir.]_

Sutton followed after Tony as he moved into the kitchen, her face turned down as she noted his serious expression. She tugged at his arm to try and get his attention.

"Tony, what's wrong? It's just a cat."

Tony scoffed.

"Just a cat my eye," he said. "You know that super secret meeting we had that you weren't allowed in?" Sutton glowered.

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me."

"Well, the reason it was so super secret was because Thor was telling us about how his brother had a little mishap recently."

Sutton frowned and shook her head.

"What does that have to-"

There was a meow from the tops of the kitchen cabinets and Sutton looked up to meet the flashing green eyes of the cat. She froze.

"Oh no," she said.

"Oh yeah," said Tony. "Thanks for finding him for us, I guess."

The cat stood on the cabinets and leaned back in a bow to stretch its legs lazily. It flicked its tail and then switched to stretch its back legs. Sutton felt the blood drain from her face.

"Are you saying- I mean- You're telling me that's, that's-"

"Loki," said Tony. "The cat is Loki. A prank, a spell, went wrong or something. I don't know how he ended up on earth."

" _Uhh!_ " Sutton held out her arms and looked at them as if she'd been cuddling a bag of garbage instead of a cat. "Oh my gosh. Tony, this is why you guys need to tell me things! I carried him." She covered half of her face with a hand and stared out into space in horror. "I called him a  _pretty boy!"_

"Oh kid," Tony chided. The cat, Loki, jumped from the cabinet top and prowled across the counter towards them. Sutton took a step back and Loki flicked his ears forward, his tail going up and swaying slowly back and forth.

"He's stuck, Sutton," said Tony. "The spell is on a timer. He can't change back until it's run its course."

"Ok, well, still! You're welcome for finding him; now take him back to Thor!"

Loki hissed, slightly arching his back. Tony cut his eyes to look and shook his head.

"I'm not shredding  _my_ arms up trying to deal with him."

Sutton wasn't quite thinking as she reached over and scooped Loki off the counter. He let out a short yowl and bat at her hand in surprise, but he didn't bring out his claws. Sutton turned and attempted to pass him over to Tony.

"Here," she said. "See? It's fine. He's cooperating."

Tony looked doubtful, but he reached a hand out to test the waters. Loki remained calm right up to the last second, when Tony's fingers were just touching his fur and unable to get out of range in time, then he let out another hiss and scratched at Tony's hand. Tony let out a short curse and pulled his hand back.

"Ouch! See! See, what did I tell you? He's a demon."

Sutton sighed and Loki settled back down in her arms though he kept his eyes on Tony. Tony reached into his pants pocket for his phone and typed out a message.

"I'm letting the team know," he said. "But I'm not sure if Thor's still on planet or not. There were some lingering issues from whatever incident he caused in the first place."

"So give him to Fury."  
Loki hissed more aggressively and Sutton felt the pinpricks of his claws pushing through her shirt.

"Hey, stop that! I really don't know what you expected." He only hissed again and Sutton grabbed him by the scruff on the back of his neck. She held him up at eye level, with her other hand actually supporting him under his back legs only because he wasn't kitten sized and she couldn't quite get herself to hold him so irresponsibly. But her arm shook a little under his weight.

"You are, for the time being, a cat," she said. "And for all the magic and knife skills you have, you don't exactly have opposable thumbs at the moment. You can always be shoved into a cardboard box. Behave."

Loki's ears flattened against his skull and he quieted down. Sutton nodded in approval. Tony eyed the scene with a certain glimmer in his eye.

"He seems to listen to you." Warning bells started going off in Sutton's head. She recognized the tone of voice Tony was using.

"I don't think that's exactly what's-"

"And you like animals."  
"Real animals, Tony. Do not-"

"I have an idea, you can watch him until Thor comes back."

"Tony, don't you dare! I did not sign up for-"

But Tony just swiveled on his heel and started trying to make his escape from the room. His fingers flew distractedly over his keypad as he dialed a number.

"I'll get everything settled and official, no worries. You'll have to stay in the Tower, of course, but you know you already have a room. Thanks kid! You're a real peach!"

"Tony! Tony, I don't want a Loki cat! He'll sneak out and try to take over the world again." Loki's tail swung up and hit her in the face. Tony waved back over his shoulder and ignored her.

"Hey, Cap," he said into his phone. "Tell the rest of the team I have that cat problem solved. Yeah, Small Fry found him and she volunteered to keep an eye on him until Thor gets back."

Sutton fumed even as she held a cat-ified Loki spilling from her arms. Loki began to purr. She looked down to see him blinking slowly up at her. He twisted in her arms to be laying on his back and lazily batted at one of her curled locks. If a cat could smile smugly, and Sutton was actually sure that normal ones could, he was doing it then.

"I take back what I said about you," she said. "You are  _not_  a pretty boy. You're just a menace."

[][]

Loki refused to eat from the dish, refused to drink from the bowl, and refused the salmon altogether. She had to freaking fill a glass with water before he accepted it, and he would only tolerate actual food on an actual plate. Sutton watched him eat with a glower and a lingering resentment towards her plight.

"You're a cat and it's your own fault. I should only offer you kibble as it is."

Loki cut his eyes up to her and let out a short, low growl. He extended the claws from one of his paws and bat at the air twice. Sutton's eyes widened.

"Oh-ho, buddy. Don't you threaten  _me_. I might just start to believe you're stuck this way forever." Loki quickly put the claws away and focused back on his food. "That's what I thought."

She let out a groan as she reached for her own glass of water. Tony was a traitor and he was going to get his comeuppance. She'd make sure of it. She took a sip of water and then rubbed at her face.

"I thought getting brought to this universe was bad, but this is officially the  _most_ fanfiction thing to ever happen to me. I should've known! A black cat with green eyes. How flipping typical; it should have  _screamed_ "this is Loki, you fool" at me. But you're not supposed to be so big and fluffy. In the fics it's always, like, this sleek, slim cat."

Loki seemed to be watching her drolly. He swished his tail on the tabletop and

Sutton pointed a finger at him.

"Don't look at me like that. I-I didn't read them. I just knew about them, ok? It was kind of hard not to."  
Loki blinked one eye and stood to stretch. He walked across the table and hit her in the face with his tail again as he jumped to the floor and landed with a thud.

"I am  _not_  lying!" Sutton sputtered as she spat out cat hair. She paused. " _And_  I'm arguing with man stuck as a cat who can't actually speak. What is my life?"

[][]

Loki as a cat was just as much trouble as a human Loki. Only a few hours in and she was already chasing him around the Tower. He'd jumped back on the table to kick his glass of water over and taken off as Sutton yelled at him and cleaned it up. She was playing the angriest game of hide-and-seek that she'd ever unwillingly participated in. The only way she knew that she was looking in the right spots were the signs that Loki had already been where she was searching.

Torn curtains hung from one window. There was a knocked over plant in the hallway. Dirty paw prints ran up one of the painting hanging on the wall.

Sutton was muttering to herself when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Steve had started walking down the same hall, saw her, and then attempted to turn and flee. Sutton snapped up.

"Steve," she called. He froze, his shoulders hunching slightly, before he begrudgingly turned around.

"Sutton," he said. "Hey, didn't see you there."

She almost called him out on the lie, but then decided she wanted his help more. Giving him her widest smile, Sutton clasped her hands and tried to look demure.

"Hey, Steve. You remember how I was supposed to be watching Loki?"  
Steve winced.

"Yeah."

"Well, I kinda… lost him."

"Wait, what?"  
Sutton held up her hands and rushed to explain. She hadn't even really volunteered for this. She'd been volun-told!  
"He ran off while I was busy and now all I can find is evidence of him."

"You lost Loki," Steve asked incredulously. Sutton waved her arms around in a gesture of defeat.

"He escaped," she clarified. "I never wanted to do this anyway. I  _told_ Tony that."

Steve put his hands on his hips and nodded as he glanced around.

"Alright," he said. "He's stuck as a cat, right? How much trouble can he get into?"  
"Please don't jinx this anymore than it already is."

They both joined together to search the entire floor. Sutton was unsure if it was merely Loki's innate skills or that he was a cat, but he was impossible to find. She looked under couch cushions and in the back of cupboards. Steve searched pantries and potted plants. After forty-five minutes of searching they still hadn't come across him. Steve leaned against a wall and Sutton stood next to him with her hands on her hips and sighed.

"You have super hearing, don't you," she asked. "Can't you hear him?"  
Steve pegged her with a look.

"No," he said. "I don't hear him. If I did, he'd be in a box already."

Sutton smiled and fought back a laugh. She tilted her head up to look Steve in the eyes and grinned impishly.

"I threatened to put in him in a box earlier. Maybe I'll have to follow through." Steve grinned in return.

"Well, I'd help."  
Sutton tucked a curl behind her ear bit her bottom lip a moment as she ducked her head.

"I"m sure we'll find him eventually," she said. "None of his plans ever actually work out. So this one probably won't be an exception." Steve tilted his head in curiosity and Sutton waved her hand as she explained.

"He tried to get rid of Thor and rule Asgard, failed. Tried to split up the team and take over earth, failed. Whatever he tried to do with the cat thing obviously didn't go well. Really, I'm starting to think he's like a kid acting out for attention."

"You have a poin-"

There was a yowling cry followed by hissing and a black mass came flying out of  _somewhere_. Sutton let out a screech as she was knocked down. She hit the tile floor with an  _oof_ and gasped. Loki himself sat on her stomach and hissed briefly up at Steve.

"Loki." Sutton panted as she tried to catch her breath. "You flipping, no good, creep! Get off of me!" Loki cut his eyes at her and made the deliberate choice to not move and instead casually licked at one paw.

"You're not a real cat! And I can't breathe, get  _off._ "  
"Here," said Steve. He held out a hand and moved to help her up, but Loki hissed again and swiped at Steve with claws out. Steve quickly pulled his hand out of reach and Sutton let out an irritated scoff. She shoved Loki off her stomach, causing him to let out a surprised yowl, and managed to stand. Steve glared down at Loki and Sutton rushed to scoop him up before he could run away again. Loki squirmed, attempting to drop out of her arms, but Sutton tightened her hold.

"So," she said, looking to Steve. "About that box?"

[]

Sutton was highly encouraged to take Loki back to her room in the Tower after Tony found out Loki'd maliciously chewed up a pair of leather shoes that were worth more than a week's pay for her. She grumbled as she made sure the door to her room wouldn't open by any means available to a cat and turned to glare at Loki. He pranced through her room as if he owned it, glancing at a few of the photos she'd left up and hopping up onto her bed to flake out.

"Don't get comfortable," Sutton said. "You're getting a pillow on the floor and you'll be thankful for it."

Loki merely flicked his tail in an idle fashion and remained in the middle of her bed. Sutton pointed a finger at him and growled.

" _I_ got quarantined because of you. I'd leave right now and lock you in here if I didn't think you'd scratch the paint off the walls alone." He blinked slowly and rolled over on his back to stretch. Sutton threw up her hands.

"Not a real cat!"

She passed the rest of the evening surfing the internet on her phone and organizing a bag of her things that had been brought to the Tower for her. Loki switched between sleeping and watching her from some elevated spot in the room. On top a cabinet, on her dresser, somehow on a shelf that shouldn't have been able to hold his extra weight.

"How long is your spell even going to last, anyway," Sutton asked as she decided to keep her toothbrush in its travel container. She didn't trust Loki to not mess with it. And there was already a layer of cat hair on  _everything_. Loki's ears flattened momentarily and he looked away from her. Sutton's brow arched and she tilted her head.

"What," she asked. "Suddenly embarrassed?" Shet let out a snort of a laugh. "Serves you right for attempting to cause trouble. I'd say I hoped you learned your lesson, but," she waved her hand in a  _so-so_ gesture, "I think we both know that's not likely."

He straightened up in the most prideful way a cat could and trotted back over to her bed to shake himself out. Cat hair flew up into the air and drifted down into her sheets.

"Hey! Knock if off, you jerk. You know what, I hope Thor gets back sooner than expected. That muzzle from last time would make more sense now-"

Loki hissed and leaped.

[]

 _[Excuse me, sir,]_ Jarvis said. Tony looked up from the blueprints of his latest suit and waved a hand.

"Go ahead, Jarvis."  
 _[You instructed that I inform you if any complications arose with Sutton caring for Loki in his cat form.]_

Tony's attention was refocused completely. He stood and began heading for his lab doors.

"Is she ok? What's Loki doing now?"

 _[I believe they're fighting, sir.]_  Tony stopped.

"Fighting?"  
 _[Yes, sir.]_

"Is Sutton winning?"

_[I believe so. It seems as though she has trapped him in a spare blanket and is currently threatening to smother him.]_

Tony's shoulders relaxed and he moved back to his blueprints.

"Oh, well that's fine then," he said. "As long as she's winning." He adjusted a few measurements and looked up again. "You have any footage, Jarvis?"

_[Cameras were not installed inside of private rooms, sir.]_

Tony tsked in disappointment.

[]

Sutton panted as she sat on the edge of her mattress and glared at the writhing blanket ball across the room. She'd tied the corners of the blanket together, but she knew it probably wouldn't hold him forever. Oddly enough she wasn't bleeding anywhere even though Loki had certainly put up quite the fight. She spat out more cat hair and let out a triumphant laugh.

"Sutton: 2, Loki: 0." The blanket lurched on one side and Sutton rolled her eyes. "Fine. Sutton: 2, Loki: 1. But it's only because your ego is so fragile."

A loud, angry meow rose up from the middle of the bundle and she took it to mean something like, " _release me immediately, mortal!"_

Pushing herself off the bed, she kneeled down next to the blanket and grabbed on to the edges.

"Promise you'll behave if I let you out?" There was an answering growl. Sutton shook the blanket lightly. "Nope, not good enough. Meow twice if you promise not to scratch me or wreck my stuff."

The blanket stilled and there was a lingering silence. Then, two flat meows. Sutton nodded even as she picked at a few frayed threads.

"Alright."

She pulled the knots loose and jumped away from the blanket. Loki shot out of its folds and darted up onto her desk. Sutton was now sure cats were able to look absolutely fuming.

"You started it," she reminded him. "I know you see me as a pathetic mortal, but I can take on a  _cat_. Cut me some slack." Loki huffed.

She kept her promise and tossed a pillow onto her desk chair for him before going to bed. It was a very unsettling feeling. Having Loki, probably the highest on America's Most Wanted list, in her room while she attempted to sleep. She wondered briefly if cats were able to hold knives, and then remembered with relief that she didn't have any in her room.

Loki sat on the pillow she'd given him, but wasn't sleeping. He only stared unblinkingly at her as she tossed in her bed. She could see the reflection of his eyes in the light that seeped through her window. Eventually she sat up with a groan and Loki perked up, standing on his pillow.

"Can you not stare at me? It's weird. And you're making me nervous. Did your mom teach you nothing?" Loki lowered himself back down onto his pillow and let out an annoyed chitter. But he did close his eyes. Sutton sighed.

"Thank you."

[]

Sutton woke up the next morning to find a large black cat stretched out next to her on her bed. She fell off the mattress with a screech.

"LOKI."


	36. Chapter 36

Hela didn’t seem the kind of person to negotiate or step down from a ego-inflated tirade. Sutton could know that just from looking at her and seeing the small tick of a smirk as her eyes shifted and shimmered. 

Definitely villain. Definitely dangerous. 

But her clothes, her suit rather, was torn and tearing. She looked a bit haggard. Probably better than most would look after a thousand years or so of being imprisoned in another dimension, but still. 

Sutton shifted back further as the Odinson brothers tried to talk her down. But she only gave them a patronising smile. 

Hela told them to kneel, kneel before their queen. Sutton’s eyes widened and her gaze shot over to Loki as he leaned forward and questioned,  _ “pardon?”  _ in the most politely insulted voice Sutton had heard him use yet. 

Thor swung Mjolnir and let it fly at her head. All of them stiffened as she caught it in her hand and kept it at bay. 

Sutton’s mind spun. 

 

How? How was anyone capable of doing that? Sutton frowned. How could she be so strong? Hadn’t Odin said she drew all her strength from Asgard? And hadn’t she been locked away, separated, from her home for at least a thousand years? 

She should be weaker. 

 

Hela’s face flickered as she lost some of her grip on Mjolnir. She stumbled backwards as the hammer pressed persistently onwards. Hela dug her heels into the grassy soil and grit her teeth, looking irate at the turn the power play had taken. 

Thor and Loki straightened, still looking defensive, but now curious as to how she’d end up. Sutton felt exhausted and she didn’t know why- 

Something trickled down her face. Sutton groaned and wiped the back of her hand under her nose and came away with blood. 

“Crap.”

 

Loki turned at her voice and arced one brow high on his forehead as he turned back to Thor. 

“Looks like she might have been of some use after all, brother.” 

Thor looked back and grimaced as Sutton attempted to hide her bloody nose. 

“Please don’t kill yourself,” he said. “Tony would flay me.” 

“And Natasha. And Steve. You may even set the beast loose.” 

“Shut up, Loki.” 

 

Hela managed to sidestep Mjolnir and it went flying forwards before Thor reached out a hand and called it back. She hissed through clenched teeth and glared at the three of them. 

“What is this?” 

Her eyes finally fell on Sutton and she cocked her head. 

“And who’re you supposed to be? A little sister? You don’t look the part.” 

 

Thor, Loki, and Sutton all shook their heads and waved their hands in a negative gesture at once. 

“She’s a friend-”

“Oh gosh, no-”

“Thankfully not-” 

 

Sutton shot a glare at Loki and shook her head again. 

“I was just leaving, actually.” Hela glared. 

“There’s something about you. A power.” 

The cliff edge was getting rather close, or Sutton might’ve backed away even further. 

“Nope! No powers here! Just plain ol’ human! Yawn.”

Hela’s grin was sharp. 

“You protest so avidly.”  
“I just want to go home and finish my macaroni and cheese.”   
  


Hela rolled her eyes and then her shoulders as she straightened her stance even more, looking quite like a haughty queen, and twisted her hand so that a large sword appeared in her grip.

“Hm, yeah, don’t like that,” Sutton commented behind the brothers. 

Loki still seemed stiff, his spine straight, as Hela advanced on them. He tilted his head to the sky and called, 

“Bring us back!” 

Thor reached out a hand, concern etched into his features. 

“Loki, no!”    
  


But a rainbow of light shot down from the sky and engulfed them. Sutton gasped as she felt herself be lifted and dragged up, up, and through the sky. She flailed in surprise as her body was rocketed through space, a horrified shock running through her. 

“Are you flipping kidding me,” she yelled. 

Thor and Loki were flying up with a much more practiced ease, although there was still an air of urgency about them. Thor looked down and his eyes widened. 

“Loki. Behind you.”

 

Being that Sutton was practically behind Loki herself, she glanced back in alarm. There, rising up to meet them, was Hela. She flashed teeth up at them and Loki produced a dagger to lob in her direction. Hela merely bat the projectile away and shot upwards. Sutton yelled again as Hela gripped her by the shirt and shoved her into Loki, pushing them both out of the Biforst and into chaos. 

Sutton was just able to grip Loki’s arm as it felt like they went spiraling through space, passed stars and through nebula. She thought she was still breathing, though she wasn’t sure how, but all she knew was she couldn't be lost. Couldn’t get separated. As much as she’d love to put distance between herself and Loki, he was her best chance at survival. Probably. 

 

She hadn’t ever wanted to travel through space again. 

It felt like they broke through some barrier and Sutton buried her head in his arm. It was so bright. And hot. She grit her teeth together and decided she didn’t want to know. If she were going to fall to her death, at least she wouldn’t see it coming. 

Loki flexed his arm, bringing her up closer and curled himself around her. They hit something and it let out a grunt, but whatever it was, it seemed like it kept them from tunneling into the ground in their impact. 

Sutton gasped as they settled and she pushed away from Loki, her head spinning as she tried to get her bearings. 

 “What- where?”

 

Sutton looked up and saw double. Literally. There were two Lokis. The one behind the Loki holding her looked especially pained. It grimaced and flickered then disappeared, leaving her alone with the original. 

“You- did you catch us with one of your projections?” Loki whined and rose to his feet as she did. 

“You have yourself to thank for that. You’re the one who believed they were tangible.” Sutton frowned and panted. 

“I should undo that….” 

“ _ Can  _ you? And a ‘thank you’ wouldn’t be remiss. This is the second time I’ve broken your fall.” 

“Both falls that were meant for  _ you _ .”

“ _ Shh. _ ”

 

Sutton crouched down as Loki lowered his stance. They were standing in what appeared to be a landfill, but it wasn’t any landfill she’d seen on earth. There looked to be odd ship parts and bright colors piled on top of each other. Fires burned in the sky like lit portals. Sutton shuddered. 

“Where are we?”

“I don’t know. Stay close.” 

“You’re showing an unusual amount of care this visit.” 

“Consider it a debt paid.” 

 

Sutton huffed but followed him. It was difficult walking through mountains of trash and ripped metal. She shuddered again. Eventually Loki just groaned and picked her up to carry her on his back and they made their way towards some tall structures rising in the distance.

She shrank down smaller as she started to notice more alien creatures mingling around them. Dangerous looking ones. 

“Can’t we just ask Heimdall to send us-”

“We already told you, he isn’t manning the Bifrost.”

“Then who is?”

“Incompetent fools. Now hush. I’m shielding us and you’re distracting me.” 

 

Sutton let out a puff of air and grumbled as she continued to keep her hands clasped around Loki’s neck. 

They continued along unseen and she was grateful for it. The unsavory looking beings around them reminded her of Tuskan Raiders and she really didn’t want to be eaten or enslaved.   

Eventually they arrived at a city teeming with aliens and activity. 

“I can walk now.” 

Loki slid her off his back and Sutton straightened her clothes. 

“Don’t go wandering off now,” Loki said, his tone lilting. Sutton glared up at him. 

“Unfortunately, I’m very much stuck with you on this garbage planet.” Loki tsked. 

“So judgy of any planet not your own.” 

“We  _ literally  _ waded through trash to get here. And you come from Asgard. That’s like the country club of space, you have no room to talk.”

“At least you’re finally coming to terms with my higher status.” 

“Oh, shut up.” 

 

Loki regained some of his confidence and swagger as they pushed through the crowds, looking like he belonged just where he was. Sutton could only grit her teeth and keep on his heels. 

 

[]

 

She didn’t know how, but somewhere along the way they’d been singled out and summoned to meet someone called the  _ Grandmaster _ . The name sounded a bit ostentatious to her and put her on edge. Even Loki seemed uncomfortable. He was standing incredibly straight with his hands clasped behind his back as they were marched into the the designated room. 

“Whatever happens, let me do the talking,” he muttered from the corner of his mouth. 

“Ok.” 

He was Silvertongue. She was nervous and a terrible liar. Sutton decided to listen to him this time. The easy compliance surprised him momentarily, but then his lips quirked and he faced forward again as the doors opened. 

The first thing she noticed was the bright, shimmering gold robe. It was impossible to  miss and it made her only more nervous. The kind of person who would call themselves Grandmaster and wear clothes like that was obviously dancing close to being a megalomaniac. And then her gaze rose and she saw his face. 

“Holy frickin’ crap,” she hissed under her breath. Loki’s eyes cut down to her. 

“Do you know him,” he whispered back. 

“Yes- No. I mean, the actor. That’s Jeff  _ freaking _ Goldblum.” Loki huffed. 

“Does that really tell us anything?” 

“Probably that things are about to get weird.” 

 

Jeff Goldblum, the Grandmaster, stood from his chair and held out his hands in a wide gesture. 

“Whispers, whispers, secrets,” he called. “So rude. So impolite. And after I showed such kindness.”

 

Sutton wasn’t sure which part of being dragged out of the town square and up to a forced meeting was kind, but wisely didn’t ask. Loki bowed at the waist and kicked her heel to prompt her to mimic him. She did so begrudgingly. 

“My apologies, Grandmaster,” he crooned. “She was just telling me of how in awe she is of your brilliance and generosity. We never expected to be singled out by such a grandiose host.”

That seemed to appease the man. He smiled and giggled lightly as he fixed his collar. 

“Of course, of course. Now I’m sure you’re curious as to why you’re here.” Loki tilted his head. 

“Exceedingly.”

“To be frank, I’m curious as to how you arrived on Sakaar. I’ve heard reports that you fell from the sky. An unusual mode of travel.” He turned to glance at the woman behind him. She was short and angry looking, with white markings on her face and an odd scepter in her hand. 

“That is unusual, isn’t it? Falling from the sky? I may not be hip anymore.”

“Very unusual, sir,” the woman bit out. “ _ Suspicious _ if you ask me.” 

She attempted to pass over the scepter and pouted with the Grandmaster waved her away with a scoff. 

“It was quite an accident, I assure you,” cut in Loki. He kept his voice smooth and amiable. “We were knocked off course and may’ve hit a wormhole. But I must say, it was a fortunate accident. Sakaar is a planet I’ve been meaning to visit for some time.” 

The Grandmaster preened some more, obviously easily flattered. Sutton decided he was definitely a megalomaniac. 

“Our current champion  _ is  _ quite a wonder,” he said. “Undefeated so far. He’s certainly been boosting ticket sales.” 

Sutton shifted and eyed Loki in unease. Given this was Jeff Goldblum and an alien planet they were dealing with, she wasn’t sure she liked where this was going. The Grandmaster reached over for a martini glass,  _ they had martini glasses in space?,  _ and waved at them yet again. 

“What about either of you? Wish to be a contender in battle? I hear it’s quite glorious. At least, from the ones that live.” 

Loki was quick to politely decline. 

“I find myself to be more of a spectator. And your company seems much more appealing, if you ask me.” 

 

The irate woman behind the Grandmaster suddenly pointed at Sutton with a scowl. 

“What about her? She’s got a power up!” 

 

Sutton followed the line of the woman’s finger down to her arc reactor, peeking out from under her collar. The Grandmaster perked up. 

“A power up, how intriguing. Oh, do you have special powers? Special powers always bring in a crowd.”

Sutton paled as they discussed throwing her in the ring, or whatever, and Loki placed a hand at her back. 

“If only that were so,” he said, his tone sounding disappointed. “However this device merely keeps my poor wife from keeling over from a fractured heart.”

They all blinked in surprise at his explanation. 

“Wife,” the Grandmaster asked. 

“ _ Wife? _ ” Sutton hissed. 

“I beg your kindness once more, Grandmaster, in that if my wife were to compete it would cause me quite some anxiety. And, if your champion is as impressive as you say, which I’m certain they are, I know she would be a let down for your fans. I’d hate to be the cause for poor reviews.”

 

The Grandmaster sighed in further disappointment. 

“Yes, yes, of course. If she’s your wife, yes. A pity. Flashy powers really do sell. Oh well.” He straightened his robes and sat back in his chair. “You’ll stay here as my guests, won’t you. Of course you will! Make yourselves comfortable. Get an outfit, have a drink. Bill- Ben- Bale? You there, escort them and yadda, yadda.” 

One of the guards approached them and Loki bowed again, Sutton followed without prompting. 

“Our deepest thanks, Grandmaster.” 

“ _ Er,  _ yes. Thank you.” 

 

They followed their escort out, trailing behind him, and Sutton pegged Loki with a deadly glare. 

“ _ Wife _ ?” She hissed again. He appeared more amused in his forced seriousness than chagrined. 

“Did you  _ want  _ to die in a deathmatch? The Grandmaster obviously likes me. Being connected to me was the only thing that would protect you.” 

“I am not doing ‘fake married’ with you!” Her voice was rising and Loki shushed her with a pointed look. Sutton huffed and lowered her voice back down. “This is ridiculous. Wouldn’t friend be enough? Travel partner?”   
“Those offer wiggle room that you can’t afford. You do want to survive this, don’t you?” Sutton huffed. 

“Unbelievable. Couldn’t do ‘fake married’ with anyone else? Not even Thor? I mea-  _ Thor! _ ” Her face was pale again as she looked up to Loki. “Oh my gosh, do you think he’s ok? What about Asgard? We have to go-” 

 

The guard halted in front of a door and informed them it was their room. 

They held off their conversation and shuffled inside, Sutton muttering under her breath the entire time. Once the door closed and they were alone, she rounded on Loki again. 

“We have to get off this planet and help Thor. You can fly a ship, right? You fly, and I can

make sure the thing has GPS so we can find Asgard again. Loki? Are you listening? We have to hurry.” 

He sauntered around the room, examining the space, and nodded once as if he were satisfied. 

“We’re staying here,” he said. His tone was so flat, so casual, that it threw Sutton off even further. 

“Excuse me? Your entire planet is in danger. Your people! And if you haven’t noticed, this planet is a bit psychotic. Our best bet is leaving ASAP, and we can’t leave Thor to-” 

“How  _ have  _ you managed to stay alive so long,” Loki interrupted. “We evaded trouble with Hela, most likely certain destruction. And while I’ll admit this planet isn’t the most ideal, it can be managed. You should consider us lucky.”

 

Sutton paused, realizing her arguments weren’t getting her anywhere with the green pain. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed in frustration. 

“So how am I supposed to get home then?” Loki picked at his nails. “Oh. Oh no. I am  _ not  _ staying here and playing fake wife to you for- for- an indeterminate amount of time. I thought you had a plan.”

“My plan now is to stay in the Grandmaster’s good graces and win his trust and favor.” 

“So that’s it, then? We’re stuck here, together, and are just going to pander to some mad man in hopes that he allows us to stay alive?” 

“Now you’re getting it.”

 

Sutton let out an enraged shriek and paced the room. Loki sat himself down on a lounge chair and got comfortable, closing his eyes and appearing to soak in the plush cushions. 

“Typical.” She seethed. “What did I expect? Some integrity? Some honor? Some  _ gosh darn  _ genuine empathy? No, of course not because-” She straightened and held her chin at a haughty angle, placed her hand on her hip as she mimed holding a goblet in the other. 

 

_ “Oh, I’m Loki! I’m the  _ _ bad guy _ _! Ho ho ho! Grovel before me, you mewling nerds, as I perform a magic trick of death! I wear green and black because it’s edgy and cool and I haven’t washed my hair in three weeks because Thor won’t let me use his shampoo.”  _

 

Loki cracked an eye open to look at her and frowned. 

“That wasn’t even relevant to this situation. How long have you been waiting to use that?”

“Since like, two days after meeting you.” He snorted. With an air of superiority, he pushed himself up and off the chair and strolled over towards her.

“Well, to put it in simple terms, here is your situation. You are on an unfamiliar planet. You will not survive five minutes here on your own and I am not going anywhere. My heartfelt advice is to get comfortable and lay low. Listen to your dear husband.”

He booped her on the nose and walked off. Sutton let out an insulted growl. 

“Say that again and I  _ will  _ strangle you!” 

“I highly doubt you could reach.” 

 

She chased after him in an attempt to kick his shins. 


End file.
